The objective of the research is to develop novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.  The main diseases addressed are allergic lung and skin inflammation and inflammatory bowel disease.  A focus is to elucidate new mechanism of modulation of immunity that can alter inflammation and, secondarily, identify immune modulating pathogen molecules which have therapeutic potential.  Collaborative activity involves utilizing our extensive expertise in animal models of human inflammatory diseases in the functional analysis of new therapeutic molecules or strategies.