University of Tasmania, Australia

An Evaluation of the Immune Response to Devil Facial Tumour Disease

The Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is a carnivorous marsupial endemic to the island state of Tasmania, and is found all over the state. Tasmanian devils are now at risk of extinction due to a disfiguring infectious tumour, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). This is a unique disease as it an infectious cancer and avoids detection by the immune system. This is most likely due to a combination of lack of genetic diversity among the devil population resulting in an inability of the devil’s immune system to recognise DFTD as a “foreign tissue graft”. The Menzies Research Institute leads research into studies of the immune system of the Tasmanian devil. In order to develop strategies such as a vaccine it is important to understand the interaction of DFTD with the immune system. A range of projects is available to understand the interaction of the devil’s immune system with DFTD and how to induce immunity to this disease.