The development of specific immune responses, such as generating antibodies, is an unique and fascinating aspect in the evolution of vertebrates.
Immunology is an exciting area in biology for students and for the public, in general.
This is caused in part by the daily reminders of new emerging diseases, such as the Ebola virus and Hantaviruses as well as the continuing AIDS epidemic. Most of what is known about the development and function of the immune system has been obtained from muridaes and from humans, little is known about the development of immunocompetence in other vertebrates. The objectives of the grant are to analyze immunological development at a molecular level in a model marsupial species, the short tailed opossum Monodelphis domestica . Immunocompetence in marsupials develops postnatally whereas in placental mammals this occurs early in the prenatal period. Little is known about the development of the immune response in marsupials.