Herd of brown-and-white and black-and-white cows in a line facing viewer in a green field Herd of brown-and-white and black-and-white cows in a line facing viewer in a green field

FFAR Spurs Tool to Test for Bird Flu

Earlier FFAR-funded research laid the groundwork for a multi-species HPAI test before the virus jumped beyond birds.

West Lafayette, IN

  • Production Systems
  • Scientific Workforce

Purdue University researchers developed an innovative paper-based test that rapidly detects highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu. The test can be effective for a variety of animals, including poultry, cattle, wild birds, rodents and even humans. It requires only an oral or nasal swab that is applied to a paper strip, making it ideal for field use or in areas lacking access to advanced laboratory facilities. This Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR)-funded breakthrough stems from earlier FFAR research tackling bovine respiratory disease (BRD), a different costly and deadly infection found in cattle.

Dr. Mohit Verma headshot

Because of what I learned about BRD virus testing from my FFAR New Innovator in Food & Agriculture Research Award research, we were already a step ahead in developing a similar test for HPAI. It turns out we started to build the foundation for an HPAI test that’s fast, accurate and easy for farmers and vets to use in the field four years before the world would know that animals beyond birds would be infected with HPAI.

 Dr. Mohit Verma
Associate Professor in Purdue’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering and the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering

Verma’s research team introduced and validated a new paper-based test that could quickly, affordably and reliably detect HPAI viruses.

Verma and four co-authors published the details of their HPAI test in Scientific Reports. This work was funded in part by FFAR, with additional funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Clinical and Translational Sciences Award from the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

Verma initially received a $715,500 New Innovator Award in 2020 to develop a rapid diagnostic BRD test. FFAR provided Verma with $450,000, which Ault Farms, Elanco and Goldstar Cattle matched for a total of $715,500. Verma’s research led to a user-friendly, low-cost test that can detect viruses causing BRD in under 60 minutes. The test will be able to assist veterinarians and cattle producers in determining the most effective methods for BRD prevention and treatment, with the goal of reducing the nearly $1 billion in annual losses the disease causes the U.S. beef industry.

Portrait of Angela Records.

One of the most powerful aspects of scientific research is its ability to generate insights that extend beyond the original question. Findings from Verma’s original FFAR grant, aimed at BRD challenges, are now helping us better understand a different — more widespread and critical — problem. This kind of cross-cutting impact is exactly what we hope for when we invest in innovative science to support U.S. farmers.

 Angela Records, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer

###

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment.

Connect: @FoundationFAR 

ID: FF-NIA20-0000000087