My research involves the development of refined diagnostic procedures and creation of effective vaccines for control of diseases of food-producing animals. Chickens immunized with the recombinant vaccine were protected when challenged with a virulent avian influenza virus. A recombinant infectious laryngotracheitis virus vaccine has been developed in which thymidine kinase gene has been inactivated by insertion of a marker gene.
Results indicate that the vaccine is less pathogenic than the parent virus vaccine.
Thymidine kinase gene has been associated with virulence. Genomic fragments of avianpox and infectious laryngotracheitis viruses have been cloned and used as diagnostic probes.