# FDA Vet-LIRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Cooperative Agreement Program funding to increase sample analysis in the event of animal food or drug related illness

> **NIH FDA U18** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2022 · $40,200

## Abstract

Romano 2022 Project Summary/Abstract
The objective of this Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Veterinary Laboratory Investigation
and Response Network (Vet-LIRN) Cooperative Agreement Program is to maintain increased
sample analysis capabilities for the FDA through partnership with Vet-LIRN laboratories. An
animal food- or drug-related illness or other large scale animal food/feed emergency event
requires surge capacity testing of implicated diagnostic or animal food samples. Testing
includes chemical and microbiological analysis of samples such as animal food/feed/drugs,
environmental samples related to animal food/feed/drug production, and animal diagnostic
necropsy or clinical samples. In the event of a large-scale chemical or biological contamination
affecting animal food or drug products, the UKVDL performs selected analyses of diagnostic
samples collected and supplied to the laboratory by FDA or other government agencies. Federal
or State surveillance assignments will also be a source of samples for analyses.
The overall goal of the cooperative agreement is to continue developing, improving, and using
university, state, and federal veterinary diagnostic laboratory testing capabilities in concert to
respond to large-scale events. The cooperative program will also continue to standardize
analyses performed at member laboratories by encouraging use of standardized analytical
methods and equipment, analytical worksheets, and electronic reporting of results. Training and
proficiency testing will continue to be provided for new methods, and Quality Management
systems will be further enhanced. Small scale method development and method validation
projects will continue as directed by the Vet-LIRN Program Office. Funding will be used for
supplies, equipment maintenance, and personnel time.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10569895
- **Project number:** 2U18FD006179-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** Megan C Romano
- **Activity code:** U18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $40,200
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10569895

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10569895, FDA Vet-LIRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Cooperative Agreement Program funding to increase sample analysis in the event of animal food or drug related illness (2U18FD006179-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10569895. Licensed CC0.

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