Disease-causing microorganisms that find their way into feeds and foods or farms and homes can pose a threat to the health of the animal and human hosts. The Host - Pathogen Interface research cluster seeks to uncover both the common and unique ways that micro-organisms act to gain entry and produce disease in their hosts, and understand how protective barriers and defense mechanisms in animal tissues and cells work to combat bacterial, viral, and parasitic infectious agents. Through their discoveries, our investigators develop innovative approaches to prevent or ameliorate outbreaks of infectious diseases in humans, companion animals, and livestock.