Mammal research
Insect research
Prion diseases are sporadic or infectious afflictions associated with a misfolded version of the prion protein, PrP. It is believed by many that the infectious agent responsible for Bovine Spongiform Encephalophy (BSE) in cattle, scaprie in sheep, variant Cruzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD) in humans, and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in elk and deer is simply that prion protein which has been encoded by the PRP gene in every mammalian genome. Some alleles of PRNP are associated with susceptibility to spontaneous or infectious prion diseases.
CWD has spread north from its fiest reported locales in Colorado to central Alberta. The disease is a concern in Alaska where the hunting of subsistence food species like caribou and moose is important for rural peoples in order to feed their families and where the collection and preparation of such foods is a central component in the social and cultural of traditional Native Alaska groups. We have sequenced PRNP loci in caribou and moose with a view to better understand the potential for spread of the infectoius agent from deer and elk to caribou and moose.
Bioreservoirs for avian influenza
For the status of our collabroative research on the prevaleince and genotypes of avian influenza in Alaska, see http://www.alaska.edu/inbre/avianflu/
Molecular Ecology of Francisella tularensis tularensis
Under construction
Vector pathogenesis of Francisella tularensis novicida
Under construction