Federal funding began flowing this month on a $370,000 grant to University of Mississippi Medical Center Associate Professor of Microbiology Eva Bengtén to study catfish anti-viral immunity.
The grant, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will advance a 30-year study of the catfish immune system that has helped fortify Mississippi's $220 million-plus annual farm-raised catfish industry.
By better understanding how catfish resist viral attacks, scientists will not only be able to aid economic development but also add to scientific knowledge and shed light on immune systems of comparable animals.
The grant will continue through August 2012.
For more information, contact Jack Mazurak at (601) 984-1970 or jmazurak@umc.edu.