Location: Plant Genetics Research
Project Number: 5070-31320-001-024-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2026
End Date: Jul 31, 2028
Objective:
Generate a comprehensive immune cell atlas by employing single-cell RNA sequencing technology to profile different tissues at developmental stages relevant to commercial vaccination schedules and disease onset.
Approach:
Our goal is to strengthen the security and resiliency of U.S. turkey production systems and minimize financial losses for farmers due to disease outbreaks. To do this, we need a clear understanding of the turkey immune system, its development and composition over time, and how it differs from that of chickens. Therefore, tissues will be collected from male and female turkeys belonging to an appropriate genetic line that best represents commercial populations. Multiple organ systems relevant to disease research (ex. thymus, bursa, spleen) will be evaluated at 1-day, 2-weeks and 4-weeks post hatch. Live cells will be isolated from freshly dissected tissues, counted, and prepared for subsequent single-cell RNA-sequencing. Established bioinformatic pipelines will be utilized for cell type annotation, differential gene expression, clonotyping, and cross-species comparative analysis.