CASSANDRA SUTHER IS A PHD CANDIDATE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST. SHE SPLITS HER TIME BETWEEN TWO LABS, DR. MOORE'S AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND DR. ZHOU'S AT UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH. THE PROJECTINCLUDES A TRULY INTERDISCIPLINARY TRAINING OPPORTUNITY, WITH AN EQUALLY INTERDISCIPLINARY ASSOCIATED SCIENTIFIC PROJECT.THE CANDIDATE WILL BE TRAINEDIN IDEAS AND TECHNIQUES NOT TYPICALLY FOUND IN FOOD SCIENCE OR MEDICAL DEPARTMENTS ALONE TO ADVANCE HER CAREER GOALS, ALONG WITH MENTORING IN HER PURSUIT OF A CAREER IN INSTITUTIONAL OR GOVERNMENTAL HUMAN HEALTH RESEARCH. THIS WILL INCLUDE 15HRS OFWORKSHOP, SHORT COURSES, SEMINARS AND TECHNICAL TALKS, CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE, UPDATED IDP AND FREQUENT MEETINGS WITH MENTORS AND COLLABORATORS.A RESEARCH PROJECT IS ALSO INCLUDED TO FURTHER HER PROFICIENCY AS A YOUNG SCIENTIST.FOOD ALLERGIES ARE INCREASING AT AN ALARMING RATE, WITH 10% OF AMERICANS EFFECTED. SOME REPORTS SUGGEST INFECTION WITH ENTERIC VIRUSES COULD RESULT IN EFFECTS THAT ENHANCE IMMUNOLOGICAL TOLERANCE OF POTENTIAL ALLERGENS. HUMAN NOROVIRUS IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS AND HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH IMMUNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE GUT THAT COULD PROMOTE TOLERANCE TO ALLERGENS. SIMILARLY, IT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO INTERACT WITH HOST COMMENSAL BACTERIA; HOWEVER, THE EFFECT NOROVIRUS INFECTION DIRECTLY HAS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND MICROBIOTA WITH RESPECT TO FOOD ALLERGIES HAS NOT BEEN DIRECTLY INVESTIGATED. USING BOTHNOROVIRUS AND FOOD ALLERGY MOUSE MODELS, WE PLAN TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS NOROVIRUS HAS ON BOTH THE DEVELOPMENT AND SEVERITY OF FOOD ALLERGIES.AIM 1 WILL INCLUDE INOCULATION OF NOROVIRUS BEFORE THE FOOD ALLERGIES HAS BEEN SENSITIZED (DEVELOPMENT). AIM 2 WILL OBSERVE THE EFFECT OF INOCULATION OF NOROVIRUS AFTER SENSITIZATION HAS OCCURRED (SEVERITY). ELUCIDATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NOROVIRUS, FOOD ALLERGIES AND THE GUT MICROBIOME COULD BETTER INFORM TREATMENT AND UNDERSTANDING OF FOOD ALLERGY.