# Vet-LIRN program cooperative agreement

> **NIH FDA U18** · NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $42,960

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The purpose of this proposed renewal is to affirm the willingness of the North Dakota State University
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (NDSU VDL) to continue participation in the FDA's Veterinary
Laboratory Investigation and Response Network Cooperative Agreement Program for Veterinary
Diagnostic Laboratories. Renewal of the cooperative agreement will continue to strengthen the
laboratory’s ability to develop additional assays aimed at detection of toxins and pathogens in animal
feed and tissues and enable increased sample throughput capabilities. These Cooperative agreements
are intended to:
1. Strengthen coordination of veterinary diagnostic laboratory efforts as related to the national food
safety system by supporting research and capacity building during case investigations, including
chemical, microbiological, pathological, or other complex analyses to help determine cases of potential
adulteration or contamination of animal foods or animal drugs.
2. Support validation and harmonization of analytical methods and equipment platforms, supporting
research into questions arising during case investigations.
3. Strengthen coordination of veterinary diagnostic laboratory efforts as related to the national food
safety system, as put forth in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) by developing the Vet-LIRN
laboratory Network's ability to investigate potential animal foodborne illness outbreaks.
4. Support training, quality assurance processes, proficiency exercises, and data sharing to support
development of veterinary diagnostic laboratories.
5. Support laboratory efforts to obtain accreditation (AAVLD, ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation) or adopt a
quality system comparable to international standards.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10844422
- **Project number:** 5U18FD006378-07
- **Recipient organization:** NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Heidi Lee Pecoraro
- **Activity code:** U18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $42,960
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2028-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10844422

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10844422, Vet-LIRN program cooperative agreement (5U18FD006378-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10844422. Licensed CC0.

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