Avian Bioscience Center

Vision

The University of Delaware Avian Bioscience Center (ABC) strives to support the local, regional, national, and international poultry industries and agricultural producers to supply consumers with a sustainable, safe, and economical food source.

Mission

The mission of the ABC is to create/support a collaborative and innovative academic environment that inspires and educates new generations of avian diagnosticians, geneticists, and scientists.  The UD ABC will assist its members in making discoveries that have major impacts on the well-being/welfare of poultry locally, nationally and worldwide following recommendations from stakeholders and advisory boards. The ABC will also foster interdisciplinary studies and education programs directed at the interface between poultry health, human health and the environment.

This will be accomplished through the following activities:

  1. Promote poultry and allied farming activities
  2. Providing leadership and forging partnerships with industry, government, and academia
  3. Providing quality avian diagnostic services
  4. Identifying and responding to emerging health issues
  5. Conducting relevant and timely applied translational research
  6. Educating future generations of poultry scientists, growers, and consumers

Objectives

The University of Delaware Avian Biosciences Center (ABC) is a developing center of excellence for research, education, and outreach programs providing science-based solutions to contemporary problems in the avian biosciences. With expertise in the fields of poultry health, avian genomics, environmental compatibility, and food safety, the ABC will serve as an unbiased source of information to the public, private industry and to advisory and regulatory agencies. The objectives of the ABC are to:

  • Enhance avian and poultry health programs through disease surveillance, diagnosis and control.
  • Utilize avian genomics in the diagnosis and control of avian and poultry diseases and to the improvement of poultry production.
  • Develop and demonstrate innovative approaches to ensure the environmental compatibility of poultry production practices.
  • Expand efforts to ensure poultry food safety and food quality.
  • Train and educate students in the scientific areas represented in the center.

Goal Proposal

To accomplish these objectives and establish the visibility of the ABC, we propose to:

  • Sponsor and co-sponsor graduate student research fellowships in the identified scientific areas to enhance recruitment and collaboration of high quality students capable of conducting innovative, multi-disciplinary research.
  • Establish undergraduate scholarships and training programs.
  • Partner with appropriate organizations to extend the effectiveness of ABC programs through education, outreach, and community involvement.
  • Provide seed moneys to support novel research initiatives.
  • Sponsor invited lectures and workshops by outstanding leaders in the field.
  • Host an annual Avian Biosciences Conference that will focus on topics of relevance to the avian biosciences. The conference will utilize the University’s outstanding ITV capabilities to provide access nationally and internationally.
  • Support travel to meetings by ABC member faculty, research professionals, and students.

Avian Biosciences Center

The center will lead the way in research, education, and outreach programs that will provide solutions to contemporary problems in the avian biosciences. Defining and accomplishing science-based solutions to contemporary problems in the avian biosciences.
Meet the researchers on board to assist with prioritizing and steering the focus of the center.
Zoonotic diseases are very common, both in the United States and around the world. A "One Health" approach to research provides an opportunity to understand the relationships between humans and animals.
The focus will be on coordinating efforts among government agencies, universities and the poultry industry abroad to increase efficiency, biosecurity protocols and poultry operations.
The overall goal of the Poultry Health program is to provide surveillance, rapid diagnosis, prevention, and control of avian diseases.
Teaches U.S. and international professionals about preparedness planning, biosecurity and assessment tools, and rapid response techniques and technology.
UD's poultry research includes topics in the management of mortality and litter quality, disease prevention, ventilation and energy, poultry house construction, animal standards of care and overall best practices in poultry management.