# CVM Vet-LIRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Program (U18)

> **NIH FDA U18** · TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH · 2022 · $45,450

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Foodborne illness causes significant morbidity and mortality each year in the United States.
Although human foodborne illness is usually associated with the consumption of contaminated
food, pets can be direct and indirect sources of bacterial pathogens including Salmonella,
Campylobacter, and Listeria. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Veterinary Laboratory
Investigation 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 of disease, information on antimicrobial resistance in pathogens
isolated from veterinary patients, 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 29 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. Texas A&M
University is home to the oldest, established College of Veterinary Medicine in Texas. The
Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
currently serves as an FDA Vet-LIRN Laboratory. Members of the laboratory have helped to
develop Vet-LIRN methods for detection of Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni, participated in
proficiency testing, collected and analyzed samples as part of Vet-LIRN investigations, and
provided isolates for the Vet-LIRN ongoing effort to characterize the antimicrobial resistance in
pathogens from veterinary patients through whole genome sequencing. The objective of this
proposal is to provide infrastructure in Texas to support collection and testing of samples from
pets 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 as well as
surveillance assignments as needed by the Vet-LIRN Program Office.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10570611
- **Project number:** 2U18FD006171-06
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH
- **Principal Investigator:** Sara D. Lawhon
- **Activity code:** U18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $45,450
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10570611

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10570611, CVM Vet-LIRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Program (U18) (2U18FD006171-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10570611. Licensed CC0.

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