P2 - Ascaris suum in pigs: vaccination efficacy and lung barrier function
Image credit: Institute of Immunology
Supervisor:
Prof. Dr. Eva-Maria Saliu
Lab Adress:
Eberswalde University of sustainable development, City campus, Schiklerstr. 5, 16225 Eberswalde
Project description:
This project addresses the “One Health” aspect from the animal health side, using the pig as a model. The Ph.D. candidate will explore the understudied interaction between Ascaris suum (A. suum) infections, pig performance, vaccination efficacy and lung barrier function. We know that the energy intensive characteristics of the Ascaris parasite physiology and tissue repair requirements (intestine, liver and lung damage due to larval migration; rapid growth into adult worms > 30 cm; release of >2x105 eggs per female/day) impose significant challenges not only for overall pig performance, but also for immune responses to unrelated parties such as vaccines and opportunistic pathogens.
The project will therefore dissect the consequences of A. suum infection on the mucosal interfaces by determination of the humoral anti-viral vaccine response and resilience to lung pathogens in A. suum infected pigs. Hence, the student has the unique possibility to acquire research skills to dissect the underlying mechanisms of the immune response in the absence and presence of A. suum and/or E/S products in the laboratory (e.g. cell culture, gene expression, organoids). The student will then learn how to conduct trials in fattening pigs on an organic (high A. suum burden) and a conventional (low A. suum burden) farm, to transfer lab-results to the “real world”. In both farms, half of the pigs will be vaccinated against the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) and the student will investigate differences in seroconversion, virus neutralization by serum antibodies as well as lung barrier function.
In conclusion, the doctoral researcher of P2 evaluates the impact of A. suum on vaccination success and lung barrier function in pigs and becomes an One Health expert with the focus on livestock.