# Enhancement of molecular capabilities of the TAMU VMTH CML

> **NIH FDA U18** · TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH · 2020 · $62,537

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Foodborne illness causes significant morbidity and mortality each year in the United States.
Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria, all cause infections in people and animals. Although
human foodborne illness is usually associated with the consumption of contaminated food, pets
can be direct and indirect sources of bacterial pathogens. The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) Veterinary Laboratory Integrated Response Network (Vet-LIRN) Veterinary Diagnostic
Laboratory Cooperative Agreement Program is designed to promote human and animal health
by providing scientific information and building laboratory capacity for routine and emergency
response for investigation of outbreaks and to investigate problems with animal feeds and
drugs. Detection of outbreaks requires the ability to collect samples from geographically diverse
areas. Texas is home to 25 million people, second only to California in human population, and
leads the nation in horse and cattle populations. It is therefore important to understand the
dynamics of foodborne diseases among animals and people within the State of Texas. The
Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
currently serves as a FDA Vet-LIRN Laboratory. Members of the laboratory have helped to
develop Vet-LIRN methods for detection, including molecular detection, of Salmonella and
Campylobacter jejuni, participated in proficiency testing, and collecting and analyzing samples
as part of Vet-LIRN investigations. The objective of this proposal is to validate the C. jejuni gyrA
PCR for testing bovine feces and to replace aging real-time PCR equipment with new
equipment compatible with that used in other veterinary diagnostic laboratories for detection of
nucleic acid from foodborne pathogens with equipment. Validation of the method for this matrix
will allow rapid, efficient detection of pathogens in samples from animals to support the FDA
Vet-LIRN mission of protecting human and animal health by prompt recognition of outbreaks
and testing of samples associated with outbreaks.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10214796
- **Project number:** 1U18FD007242-01
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH
- **Principal Investigator:** Sara D. Lawhon
- **Activity code:** U18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $62,537
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-20 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10214796

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10214796, Enhancement of molecular capabilities of the TAMU VMTH CML (1U18FD007242-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10214796. Licensed CC0.

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