His specific areas of research include how to stimulate the mucous membranes of poultry to resist infection, the underlying molecular mechanisms of immune responses to dietary and environmental stimuli, and nutrition for enhancing development of the immune system in hatchlings. For example, he has looked at the effect of beneficial microbes in chicken embryos on the development of the gut and immune system, and the effect of various feed additives as alternatives to antibiotics. He also researches the genetics of immune response in chickens and turkeys.