Research Areas

The CVM Office of Research maintains internationally recognized research programs in these areas:

• Analytical research for compounds which pose a potential health risk if found in animal tissue or feed. We develop and validate methods for official and research uses. We determine the fate of compounds administered to animals to answer questions about their safety or efficacy.
• Applied and basic research in animal health and medicine in support of current and evolving regulatory issues. We provide research solutions to issues of animal health, food safety of animal derived products, and safety or efficacy of products used in animal care.
• Applied and basic research involving the isolation, identification and characterization of microorganisms potentially harmful to animals and humans. In particular, this research explores the effects of antimicrobial use in animals on:
  1. efficacy against pathogens,
  2. changes in the environmental microbial ecology, and
  3. the development of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial drugs. Research efforts also seek to understand the biological mechanisms causing resistance.

These research activities support the needs of FDA’s animal health regulators, on issues including pre-market drug review, compliance, post-approval monitoring, and animal feed safety.