The study of host-pathogen interactions and their exploitation to develop novel approaches to disease and infection control with emphasis on animal pathogens and food-borne zoonoses. A common theme is the survival and adaptive responses of microorganisms to environmental stresses imposed in the food chain. These include how the environmental cycling of microorganisms can influence the microflora of farm produce, and the colonisation of livestock. Of particular interest are the inimical processes imposed under food processing and preservation regimes post-farm gate, and how these will modify the interaction and survival of microflora within food products, packaging materials and on plant infrastructure for factory operations.