Research Projects

Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) remains a major threat to the poultry industry due to its highly contagious and immunosuppressive nature. It affects young chickens by targeting the bursa of Fabricius, leading to lymphoid depletion, increased susceptibility to secondary infections, poor vaccine responsiveness, and significant economic losses due to severe depression and mortality, reduced growth performance, egg deformities, and immunosuppression-related complications. Thus, Infectious bursal disease (Gumboro disease) continues to pose an impactful demage to the global poultry industry, with the virus widespread across all continents. Effective control of IBDV is vital for poultry health, animal welfare, and global food security. Current control measures, mainly vaccination and antibiotic use, present notable challenges. Live attenuated vaccines (LAVs), while protective, provide only short-term immunity and limited coverage against diverse IBDV strains, with potential risk of reversion to virulence due to inefficient attenuation. Simultaneously, routine antibiotic use fosters antimicrobial resistance and disrupts gut microbiota, compromising overall poultry health. The continued emergence of antigenic variants, along with vaccine failure and concerns over drug residues, highlights the urgent need for safe, sustainable, and residue-free alternatives for effective IBDV management in modern poultry production. In this context, we propose to investigate an alternative and sustainable solution based on the potential use of phytocompounds to reduce the impact of IBDV infections in poultry. This proposal aims to explore the potential of phytobiotic feed additive prototypes. The formulations derived from bioactive phytochemicals could act as sustainable, safe, and effective alternatives to conventional IBDV control strategies. Phytobiotics possess immunomodulatory, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties that can enhance gut and systemic immunity, reduce viral replication, and mitigate bursal damage. This study aims to develop a comprehensive database of phytocompounds derived from Kashmir Himalayan herbs known to benefit poultry health. These compounds will undergo pharmacokinetic screening and molecular docking against key proteins of IBDV. Promising leads will be further evaluated using molecular dynamics simulations alongside standard reference ligands to assess their antiviral potential. Selected compounds will be tested in vitro for antiviral activity, followed by in vivo poultry trials to evaluate their effects on immunity, bursal integrity, and overall performance. The findings are expected to facilitate the discovery of novel antiviral therapies and the development of phytobiotic feed additives. This will support sustainable, antibiotic-free poultry production aligned with One Health principles and global food safety goals.