**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PATHOGENS HAVE DEVELOPED SEVERAL METHODS TO EVADE HOST DEFENSES, INCLUDING WAYS TO USE THE HOST IMMUNE SYSTEM AGAINST THE HOST. ONE METHOD PATHOGENS USE TO EVADE DETECTION IS TO CAUSE THE HOST TO SECRETE PROTEINS THAT ACT AS SECURITY CLEARANCE FOR THE PATHOGEN. IN THE CASE OF PARASITES OR BACTERIA THAT USE THIS METHOD, THIS ALLOWS THEM TO ESTABLISH IN THE HOST TISSUE AND CAUSE DAMAGE. THIS EVASION METHOD IS USED BY PATHOGENS THAT INFECT BOTH HUMANS AND LIVESTOCK. A FEED ADDITIVE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED THAT ALLOWS THE HOST TO RECOGNIZE THE EVADING PATHOGEN BY RE-INSTATING NORMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM FUNCTION, OR NOT ALLOWING THE PATHOGEN TO BYPASS HOST SECURITY CHECKPOINTS. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS COCCIDIOSIS IN BROILER CHICKENS THAT IS CAUSED BY A PARASITE (EIMERIA) THAT ESTABLISHES A HOME IN THE INTESTINE BY CAUSING THE HOST TO PRODUCE PROTEINS THAT PROTECT EIMERIA FROM DETECTION. USING THIS FEED ADDITIVE, WE WILL STUDY HOW THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS ABLE TO CLEAR THE PATHOGEN WHEN THE HOST IMMUNE SYSTEM IS ALLOWED TO WORK NORMALLY. WE WILL ALSO STUDY WHAT THE INTESTINAL MICROBIOME DOES TO RESPOND TO THE PATHOGEN, AND DETERMINE HOW ELSE WE CAN SUPPORT IMMUNE FUNCTION WHEN POULTRY ARE BEING CHALLENGED BY A PATHOGEN. THIS WILL ALLOW IDENTIFICATION OF BETTER WAYS TO HELP POULTRY RESPOND TO BACTERIA OR PARASITES FOUND IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT.