INTEGRATING CLINICAL, DATA-DRIVEN, AND IN-VITRO APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF HOST-PATHOGEN INTERACTIONS IN BOVINE DIGITAL DERMATITIS

We hypothesise that host genetics play a key role in the pathogenesis of digital dermatitis with host-pathogen interactions determining the development and resolution of the disease.

Our overarching goal is to conduct an interdisciplinary, integrated study to further our understanding of the aetiopathogenesis and the molecular mechanisms leading to the development of DD, investigate host-pathogen interactions, and determine the genetic architecture and the optimum breeding strategy to enhance animal resistance to DD development and progression. We propose a study drawing on our previous and ongoing research and deploying state-of–the-art ‘omics’, in vitro and in vivo techniques as well as advanced statistical and machine learning approaches that will significantly improve our understanding of this infectious disease.