$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: Why Swine Field Research Matters - Dr. Stephen Frazer

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Stephen Frazer, swine veterinarian at Demeter Services Vétérinaires, explains how field research connects university science with real commercial swine production. He discusses research design, economic impact, external validity, health challenges, and practical implementation on farms. Dr. Frazer also shares how applied research helps producers stay competitive with modern genetics and production systems. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Field research applies rigorous scientific methods within commercial production systems while focusing on practical economic outcomes that directly affect modern swine operations."

Meet the guest: Dr. Stephen Frazer / stephen-frazer-5769b7141 completed both a Master of Veterinary Science and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Université de Montréal. Currently working as a swine veterinarian at Demeter Services Vétérinaires, Dr. Frazer focuses on applied field research, production health, and practical strategies that improve commercial swine operations. Learn more about field research and swine production by listening to Dr. Stephen Frazer on The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, available on all major platforms.