Influenza research has been a mainstay of the laboratory for over 20 years, and as mentioned earlier, some of our earliest genomic studies were performed on cells infected with influenza virus. Today, with worldwide attention focused on highly pathogenic avian influenza and the looming threat of a new pandemic, influenza research has taken on a renewed vigor. One of the priorities in this research is the development of improved animal models to better understand influenza pathogenesis and to develop new diagnostic, therapeutic, and vaccine strategies, all of which are important components of preparedness for the next influenza pandemic [24] .