This project aims to develop biotechnological products to support integrated disease control in production systems in which poor livestock keepers form an important part. Activities include: developing and improving vaccines and diagnostic tools for priority livestock diseases; and contributing to evaluation of ethno-therapeutic options for disease control, the control of zoonotic diseases and the control of vectors of livestock diseases.

1. Epidemiology of zoonoses amongst livestock and their keepers in East Africa
2. Improving vaccine efficacy by directed priming of CD4 and CD8 T Lymphocytes
3. Investigating the pathogenicity mechanisms of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) - the most devastating cattle disease in Africa
4. Development of new diagnostic assays and epidemiological surveillance of viral pathogens of livestock in Africa
5. A genomics approach to understanding the immunopathology of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP): Improvement of current live vaccines and development of next generation vaccines
6. Bovine Tuberculosis in the Developing world
7. An integrated approach for the development of sustainable methods to control tropical theileriosis
8. Novel approaches and technologies to reduce the impact of nematode parasitism on the livelihoods of small-holder farmers of sheep and goats in Africa
9. Applied genomics of tick vectors in relation to development of anti-tick vaccines and building research capacity in the eastern and central Africa

This project aims

• to improve our understanding of the range of diversity presently available in livestock so that it may be used as a resource for future needs
• to understand the role of that diversity in conferring resistance to disease and other physical stresses. This information will help the design of livestock conservation action and it will provide a long-term bank of genetic resources together with an understanding of where maximum diversity exists and therefore where breeders should look for resources to meet new and rapidly changing requirements
• to supply information on the genetics underlying specific traits notably resistance to trypanosomiasis and helminthosis to 'Improving utilization of Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR)' Operating Project. 

1. Delivering systemmatic information on the spatial distribution and production environment descriptors of poultry farms in Ethiopia aimed at potential Avian Flu response and pandemic preparedness
2. Molecular characterization study of local poultry populations in Cambodia, Egypt, Laos, Uganda and Vietnam
3. Infectious Diseases of East African Livestock (IDEAL)
4. Marker-based estimation of effective population size: Application to the conservation of indigenous African cattle populations
5. Functional gene discovery for disease resistance in Chicken
6. Optimization and genotyping of DNA samples of 40 sheep populations from seven countries of the CRP using FAO/ISAG recommended panel of microsatellite DNA makers
7. Approaches to functional genomics of host tolerance and host pathogen interactions in vector borne parasitic diseases of cattle
8. Molecular characterization of the genetic diversity of the chicken major histocompatibility complex (MHC B complex): Genetic diversity of small ruminant genetic resources

This project applies biotechnological tools to improve the understanding and conservation of indigenous genetic diversity. Areas of activity include: quantitative estimates of the distribution and variability of global livestock populations, including relationships amongst populations; identification of unique livestock gene pools; development of tools for economic analysis, including valuation of AnGR; and development of databases and decision support tools for in situ conservation, including sustainable use.

1. Development and application of decision-support tools to conserve and sustainably use genetic diversity in indigenous livestock and wild relatives
2. A system to cost effectively create a continuous supply of F1 heifers via sexed embryos
3. Designing community-based breeding strategies for indigenous sheep breeds of smallholders in Ethiopia
4. Evaluation of ecological and economic sustainability of breeding strategies in pastoral systems: The case of Ankole cattle
5. Capacity building for sustainable use of animal genetic resources in developing countries

Small Animal Unit 

The small animal unit is a conventional production, experimental and holding unit with back-up 'clean' pedigree colonies maintained in flexible film positive isolators. The Unit produces and houses the small animals such as mice, rats, rabbits and a small colony of guinea pigs required for research by the Institute and Collaborators. The Unit has a central services area that houses the autoclave and the cage washing machine. It comprises conventional animal rooms with airflow, as well as positive and negative pressure plastic film isolators. The animals are used in the institute for various tasks, most commonly for production of trypanasomes, antibodies and to determine infectivity of trypanasomes. Large Animal Unit 

Supplies and maintains a total of around 400 head of cattle, sheep and goats for research purposes. This facility also provides a surgery facility and tick and fly proof accommodation for large animals. The Secure Animal Diseases Facility Exceeds the standard of containment level BL2. It ensures that the live recombinant-antigen delivery systems ILRI is developing for its prototype vaccines against livestock diseases are tested under environmentally safe conditions. The unit has a capacity of 40 cattle and can and has readily been utilized for other small ruminant species.

BioVeD - Vector labs/ Biological Services/ Diagnostic services /Haematology services ,Central core,SEGOLIP, Bioinformatics/LIMS, Imaging and Cytometry