Tularemia is a deadly disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis (Ft). This bacterium is also a potential biological weapon. In order to develop cures, we need to know more about how Ft avoids the host immune system. For my senior thesis, I will use cockroaches (which have a strong immune system) to test my hypothesis about why certain chaperone proteins are required for disease. This may lead to better treatments in the future.