Vet-LIRN: Strengthening animal health and food safety lab testing
Official title: FDA Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network Cooperative Agreement Program
Funded at Texas A&m Agrilife Research · NIH-11377858 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aimed at boosting how labs detect and investigate animal pathogens and contamination in animal food and drugs, to keep pets and livestock safer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m Agrilife Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $26,896 |
| NIH project number | 5R18FD007595-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377858 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant does not target individual patients; it strengthens veterinary labs and public health infrastructure that support disease detection and outbreak response in animals.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefits are not the primary aim; improvements are at the laboratory and surveillance level.
What this research studies
This program enhances laboratory capacity to analyze animal samples, foods, and medicines quickly during disease or contamination events. It supports new testing methods, better lab facilities, and staff training so laboratories can respond to outbreaks in animals and related products. While the focus is on veterinary and food safety, results could help protect public health and animal welfare by preventing spread and exposure. Collaboration with federal, state, and local partners will be strengthened to improve rapid response and data sharing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the network will enable faster detection and investigation of animal illness and contamination, protecting animal and human health.
How similar studies have gone: Past network collaborations have improved outbreak investigations, and expanding capacity is expected to build on those gains.
Where this research is happening
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Texas A&m Agrilife Research
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Durham, Matthew — Texas A&m Agrilife Research
- Study coordinator: Durham, Matthew
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.