The Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL) at the University of Missouri is a full service diagnostic laboratory and it is Missouri?s only laboratory accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). The VMDL is a Level I Lab of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). The VMDL is a Tier I Laboratory of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN). The VMDL provides in-depth laboratory diagnostic support to MU Veterinary Health Center Hospital, veterinary practitioners, livestock and poultry industry, stakeholders in companion animal health, wildlife conservationists, and state and federal regulatory agencies. The goal of this application is to strengthen the VMDL?s support of FDA Vet-LIRN, with respect to ?investigate potential adverse events affecting the nation?s food or animal feed supply by conducting testing of veterinary products, animal feeds or diagnostic samples?.
The specific aims are to 1) participate in FDA Vet-LIRN sample analysis, 2) provide analytical data to support potential regulatory use, and 3) participate in additional FDA Vet-LIRN research and development projects, such as method development and validation as determined by the VPO. The requested funding will enable the VMDL to maintain the Tier I Lab status, hereby completing the on-going FDA projects, developing new methods without interrupting routine diagnostic services, and more efficiently responding to foodborne disease outbreaks.
Veterinary diagnostic laboratories play significant roles in protecting animal and public health by providing diagnostic service and consultation to veterinarians, pet owners, livestock producers, animal-related industries, such as pet food manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies, and government regulatory agencies. Strengthening veterinary diagnostic infrastructure and coordination of Vet-LIRN member laboratories will enable better support of FDA?s mission of promptly responding to high priority microbial and chemical contaminations of feed and veterinary drugs as well as the transmission of antimicrobial resistance from animals to humans.
