ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE HAS BEEN DECLARED A GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS. "CRITICALLY IMPORTANT" ANTIBIOTICS THAT ARE THE LAST KNOWN TREATMENT FOR SOME HUMAN INFECTIONS CAN BE PRESCRIBED TO ANIMALS INFECTED WITH PATHOGENIC BACTERIA. BACTERIOPHAGES (PHAGES) ARE VIRUSES THAT INFECT BACTERIA HOSTS AND KILL THEM UPON COMPLETION OF THEIR LYTIC REPLICATION CYCLE. SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED PHAGE THERAPY FOR MITIGATION OF BACTERIAL INFECTIONS IN LIVESTOCK, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGES WITH MAMMALIAN HOST IMMUNE RESPONSES CLEARING PHAGES FROM THE BODY. THIS PROJECT WILL CREATE A BROADLY APPLICABLE PROOF OF PRINCIPLE FOR ENHANCING PHAGE THERAPY EFFICACY WITH THE LONG TERM GOAL OF APPLYING THIS MODEL TO PHAGES ABLE TO INFECT ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA STRAINS PROMINENT IN LIVESTOCK TO IMPROVE ANIMAL HEALTH WITHOUT THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS.THROUGHOUT THIS PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP, PD CAITLIN CARMODY WILL DEVELOP SKILLS IN CRITICAL THINKING, DATA ANALYSIS, ORAL/WRITTEN COMMUNICATION, RESEARCH, AND LEADERSHIP BY ENGAGING IN RESEARCH AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. CAITLIN WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DESIGN AND FULFILLMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN THIS FELLOWSHIP PROPOSAL. DR. SAM NUGEN WILL SERVE AS CAITLIN'S PRIMARY MENTOR, OVERSEEING THE PROJECT PROGRESS AND GIVING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK. MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIONS AND THOROUGH TRAINING PLANS WILL AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAITLIN INTO A LEADER IN THE AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.