Vaccines to stop chronic wasting disease in deer
Chronic Wasting Disease Vaccines
This project tests vaccines meant to prevent chronic wasting disease in deer and lower the chance people are exposed through hunting or eating venison.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11110395 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective, researchers are developing vaccines that target the abnormal prion proteins that cause chronic wasting disease and giving them to white-tailed deer in a controlled indoor facility. They then expose vaccinated and unvaccinated deer to the disease under careful conditions and follow the animals over time to see who gets sick and who sheds infectious material. The team uses established challenge models and longitudinal monitoring to check vaccine safety and whether prion shedding is reduced. Findings are intended to guide ways to reduce CWD spread in herds and limit potential human exposure through contaminated meat.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who hunt, butcher, or regularly eat venison in areas with CWD, and communities living where CWD is present, would be most interested in the potential benefits.
Not a fit: Individuals already diagnosed with a prion disease or with known past prion exposure would not directly benefit from a deer vaccination program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these vaccines could reduce CWD transmission among deer, lower contaminated meat entering the food chain, and decrease the risk of human exposure to prions.
How similar studies have performed: Related vaccine approaches have shown promise in animal models, but vaccinating deer and reducing human exposure remains novel and unproven.
Where this research is happening
Fort Collins, United States
- Colorado State University — Fort Collins, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mathiason, Candace K. — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Mathiason, Candace K.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.