Increasing amphibian immunity to combat disease causing mass extinction

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This project aims to increase amphibian survival to combat the devastating chytrid fungus by identifying resistance genes and increasing their frequency in the host population. The project is interdisciplinary and uses targeted genetic manipulation techniques developed for agriculture to improve disease resistance in wildlife for the first time. Expected outcomes include 1) enhanced international collaborations in comparative immunology, 2) a comprehensive understanding of immunity to chytridiomycosis, and 3) disease resistant amphibians. The anticipated benefit is ability to apply the optimal method to improve conservation of wildlife threatened by emerging disease, such as marker assisted selective breeding or genetic engineering.