$800,000 USDA Grant to Create Integrative Data Platform for Major Swine Diseases

Sep 18, 2023

A team of University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine researchers led by Kimberly VanderWaal was recently awarded a 4-year, $800,000 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The study aims to create an “integrative data science” platform to predict the ability of PRRSV-2 variants to provoke an immune response and spread across farms. The platform will use interconnected machine learning tools from structural biology, computational immunology, and genomic epidemiology.

The circulation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus-type 2 (PRRSV-2) is a primary constraint to swine health and production. PRRSV-2 is a rapidly evolving RNA virus impacting roughly 30–50% of breeding farms. With an economic burden of over $600 million in the U.S. alone, PRRSV-2 is the most important endemic disease to the U.S. swine industry.

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Video: Synthetic Microbiota Explained - Dr. Alexandre Thibodeau

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Alexandre Thibodeau, from the University of Montreal, explains how synthetic microbiota and bioreactor systems can help researchers study gut microorganisms, evaluate feed additives, investigate Salmonella control strategies, and develop alternatives to animal trials. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Bioreactor models can screen microbiota solutions before animal trials, lowering costs and reducing the number of pigs needed."

Meet the guest: Dr. Alexandre Thibodeau / alexandre-thibodeau-2493a540 is an Associate Professor at the University of Montreal, in Canada, with a PhD in Veterinary Science and Microbiology. His work focuses on swine gut health, food safety, microbiota research, pathogen control, and alternative research models that support animal production and welfare. His research explores innovative strategies to better understand interactions among microorganisms and to improve livestock health outcomes. Learn more from Dr. Alexandre Thibodeau on The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, available on all major platforms.