Kansas State University has secured two significant grants, together surpassing $1.2 million. This funding, provided by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), supports a three-year project to help safeguard global food sources.
K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine is at the forefront, leading two crucial research initiatives. Professor Waithaka Mwangi spearheads the first project, focusing on multi-component vaccines. His team aims to widen the protection spectrum against diverse strains of bovine diseases such as BPI3V and BVDV. Current vaccines show limitations in broad protection, which Mwangi's team hopes to overcome.
Bovine diseases, as Mwangi mentions, often culminate in severe respiratory issues in calves, making broad-spectrum vaccines vital for healthy cattle.
The second initiative, led by Professor Juergen Richt, delves into the African swine fever virus (ASFV), notorious for its deadly impact on pigs. Efforts to develop reliable vaccines against ASFV have been mostly unsuccessful. Yet, Richt is optimistic. His strategy involves understanding the pig's immune response to ASFV and crafting a virus-vectored vaccine that can differentiate vaccinated animals from the infected ones.
Highlighting the global importance of this endeavor, David Rosowsky, K-State's vice president for research, commended the dedication of the university's researchers. He emphasized K-State's leadership in animal health and biosecurity globally.
The initiative by AFRI, which funds these projects, has its roots in Congress's decisions from 2008 and was reaffirmed in 2018. Through such programs, AFRI aspires to introduce innovations that benefit national security, energy independence, and public health.
Photo Credit: istock-dusanpetkovic
Categories: Kansas, Education