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:
- Promote poultry and allied farming activities
- Providing leadership and forging partnerships with industry, government, and academia
- Providing quality avian diagnostic services
- Identifying and responding to emerging health issues
- Conducting relevant and timely applied translational research
- 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.