Vet-LIRN Cooperative Agreements

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Currently Funded Opportunities

Vet-LIRN Network Infrastructure Grant Program (U18)

Infrastructure funding is key to making sure that the network can function and that laboratories can work to support Vet-LIRN’s mission. These awards facilitate participation in Vet-LIRN activities such as consumer complaint response, emergency exercises, proficiency exercises, and laboratory accreditation. The agreements also increase the agency’s capability to analyze an increased number of samples in the event of animal food- or drug-related illnesses or other large-scale emergency events that require increased testing of implicated diagnostic or animal food samples. Cooperative agreements allow network laboratories to request additional funds if they are participating in a specific Vet-LIRN project, such as the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) monitoring program or if they are conducting whole-genome sequencing (WGS) work, or if their caseload is particularly heavy. 

Vet-LIRN Network Capacity-Building Projects (U18)

The cooperative agreement is intended to support projects or equipment grants to help investigate potential issues with animal foods, as well as support work related to antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship. Vet-LIRN laboratories may apply for funding for research related to emerging public food safety issues identified by Vet-LIRN and for equipment and personnel necessary to expand laboratory capability and capacity. This work may include the development and validation of new methods or work to support efforts related to antimicrobial resistance or antimicrobial stewardship. Laboratories that are working to develop and validate new methods may participate in the Vet-LIRN Blinded Method Test program.

Blinded Method Tests

Testing animal diagnostic specimens enables Vet-LIRN to fully address consumer complaints about animal food or drugs. The Capacity Building grants and associated Blinded Method Tests ensure that the testing methods used in network laboratories are well evaluated and provide reliable data. Although Vet-LIRN methods are not regulatory methods, the FDA Method Validation Guidelines are generally followed during the method development and evaluation. Most of the projects have the following phases (see Figure 1):

1. Method-Originating (MO) Laboratory – Recipient of Cooperative Agreement Grant
   1. Method development/optimization.
   2. In-house validation using non-blinded samples. 
2. Vet-LIRN
   1. Vet-LIRN evaluates the method performance in the MO laboratory through exercises called Blinded Method Tests (BMTs). Vet-LIRN prepares and ships samples (that contain samples with/without the analyte) to the MO laboratory for blinded (i.e., unbiased) analysis. The MO laboratory analyzes blinded samples and submits results to organizers for evaluation of performance.
3. MO Laboratory 
   1. Method is shared with other Vet-LIRN collaborating laboratories. 
4. Vet-LIRN
   1. Vet-LIRN evaluates the method performance in multiple laboratories in a Blinded Method Test. 

The methods developed by our Vet-LIRN laboratories are extensively evaluated and will be

1. shared with others via the data depository portal (www.protocols.io), published in a scientific journal, and
2. adopted and used by Vet-LIRN laboratories for their routine animal diagnostic purposes and CVM consumer complaints.
3. Some newly developed methods are further evaluated in the Vet-LIRN’s Proficiency Testing Program by comparing their performance to performance of other similar methods

Figure 1. What are the steps during a Blinded Method Test?

Highlighted methods with BMTs 2023-2025 include

1. Kansas State University – Quantification of 23 cannabinoids in bovine fat using UPLC-MS/MS. Industrial hemp is grown in multiple states across the U.S. When animals consume industrial hemp, cannabinoids may accumulate in fat tissues at high concentrations and persist for up to three months, even after switching to cannabinoid-free feed. Quantification of cannabinoids in fats is important for: (i) food safety—rendered animal fat can contaminate human food products, and (ii) animal diagnostics—fat analysis enables retrospective detection of cannabinoid exposure weeks or months earlier, unlike other tissues that retain cannabinoids for only days. Single-lab BMT confirmed reliability of the newly developed method
2. Kansas State University – Quantification of 21 cannabinoids in bovine plasma using UPLC-MS/MS. Plasma is an excellent diagnostic tissue because cannabinoids are rapidly (within several hours) transferred into plasma at high levels. Single-lab BMT confirmed reliability of the newly developed method.
3. Kansas State University – Quantification of 23 cannabinoids in bovine urine using UPLC-MS/MS. Cannabinoids are rapidly secreted via urine, which is very convenient (non-invasive) diagnostic tissue to determine the exposure. Single-lab BMT confirmed reliability of the newly developed method.
4. University of Missouri. Quantification of 11 cannabinoids in dry industrial hemp using UPLC-FL.
5. University of Illinois- Single-laboratory BMT was completed to evaluate the use of sample pooling method to detect SARS-CoV-2 by q-RT-PCR in animal biomatrix. This BMT provided evidence that this pooling is an effective method to be detect SARS-CoV-2 in feline fecal matrix.
6. University of Illinois- Evaluated the use of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) as a reliable method for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in feline fecal matrix. Single-laboratory BMT was completed to evaluate the assay performance in the originating laboratory.
7. University of Pennsylvania- Evaluated the use of LAMP as a reliable method for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in canine endotracheal wash. Single-laboratory BMT was completed to evaluate the assay performance in the originating laboratory.
8. North Dakota State University – Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in nasal swabs and lung homogenates from cats and dogs. Single-laboratory BMT was completed to evaluate the assay performance in the originating laboratory.
9. University of California Davis - Quantitative determination of “Compound 1080” pesticide in bovine kidney using LC-MS/MS. Compound 1080 (sodium monofluoroacetate) is acutely toxic compound used for rodent and predator control. It is both man-made and is found naturally occurring in some tropical plants. Accidental poisoning of non-target animals does occur, and it is important to develop diagnostic tests to confirm exposure. The method was successfully evaluated during the single-laboratory BMT in the originating laboratory.