This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The Zoonotic Diseases and Immunotherapy Center (CDIZD) BSL 3 Core (Core D) is directed by Dr. David Pascual and co-directed by Michael Minnick (UM Missoula). The Core is dedicated to understanding the pathogenesis of diseases that infect humans, either directly or indirectly, via livestock or wildlife. As wildlife areas are encroached, there is increased exposure of livestock to wildlife, potentiating disease transmission to humans. As a result, there are increased incidences of livestock pathogens in wildlife including Bacillus anthracis, Brucella abortus, Coxiella burnettii, Mycobacterium boris, Mycoplasma boris, Yersinia pestis, bovine virus diarrhea (BVD), Hantavims, retroviruses, wasting disease, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Mad Cow). Such exposure now creates alternative disease reservoirs that eventually can impact human health via these wildlife and livestock vectors. At the present, the weakest link in this threat is a basic understanding of how these diseases disseminate to unprotected wildlife. The mission of the COBRE is to coordinate and organize investigators with expertise in infectious diseases, human medicine, veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, ecology, and entomology to conduct interdisciplinary and interagency research. Montana State University is poised to take the lead in this multi-disciplinary effort because of the existing expertise and proximity to wildlife habitats. The BSL 3 core, we will be able to expand and accommodate new investigators requiring either small or large animal containment facilities. The primary goal is to expand the current BSL 3 facility in the areas of wet lab bench space to accommodate additional investigators and to expand the small animal (mouse) containment facility from the current 40 to 80 mouse capacity to 320 mice. A secondary goal is to expand the BSL 3 facility to contain large animals such as calves, sheep, and cervids. The facility is vital to the study of diseases including Brucella abortus, B. melitensis, Yersinia pestis, and Coxiella burnetti.
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