February 24, 2000
CVM ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH FUNDS
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is announcing the availability of research funds for fiscal year (FY) 2000 to study the microbiological hazards associated with the food animal production environment. Approximately $600,000 will be available in FY 2000. FDA anticipates making 3 to 6 Cooperative Agreement awards at $100,000 to $200,000 per award per year (direct and indirect costs combined). Support for these agreements may be for up to 3 years.
FDA is mandated to assure the microbiological safety of foods, including those derived from animals. The President's Food Safety Initiative (FSI) of 1997 calls for increased allocation of resources for research by FDA to identify and investigate microbiological hazards associated with food produced by animal agriculture. The goal of the FSI is to further reduce the incidence of foodborne disease to the greatest extent possible. Specifically, FSI mandates research be conducted to develop the means to: (1) identify and characterize more rapidly and accurately foodborne hazards, (2) provide the tools for regulatory enforcement, and (3) develop interventions that can be used as appropriate to prevent hazards at each step from production to consumption of food.
The role of FDA's CVM in this research relates to microbial hazards associated with pre-harvest phases of food animal production, including aquaculture. The FSI specifically identifies a need for research addressing the effect(s) of therapeutic and non-therapeutic antimicrobial use in food-producing animals on commensal and foodborne bacterial pathogens.
The specific objective of this research program will be to stimulate research on microbiological hazards associated with the food animal production environment. It is of particular interest to FDA that this research advance scientific knowledge of human foodborne pathogens, such as Salmonellae, Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter. Potential areas of investigation include: (1) antimicrobial resistance development and dissemination in the animal production environment, (2) approaches to mitigate or minimize antimicrobial resistance, and (3) the impact of antimicrobial drug use on the carriage of foodborne pathogens and sentinel microorganisms used for monitoring programs.
Projects that fulfill any one or a combination of the following specific objectives will be considered for funding:
(1) Studies on the development, dissemination, transmission and persistence of antibiotic resistant bacteria and/or genetic determinants from these bacteria in the animal production environment. The horizontal transmission of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and resistance genes in the animal and animal production environment is of special interest. Also, the persistence of antimicrobial resistant foodborne pathogens and/or genes in the animal production environment after withdrawal of antimicrobials is of special interest. FDA/CVM is interested in research in all food-producing animal species, but is especially interested in poultry and the poultry production environment.
(2) Research on the mitigation/intervention strategies to decrease or minimize antimicrobial resistance in the animal production environment through the manipulation of drug use, altering drug dosage, use of competitive exclusion products, and/or rotation of antimicrobials used in beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, poultry, and aquaculture.
(3) The effect of antimicrobial use on the carriage and/or shedding of foodborne pathogens (i.e., pathogen load) in the above listed animal species.
FDA anticipates funding at least one cooperative agreement for each of the objectives listed above contingent upon the quality of the application submissions and the availability of fiscal year 2000 funding.
The complete request for applications may be found on the CVM Home Page.
For more information regarding the programmatic aspects of this notice, contact David B. Batson, Ph.D., Office of Research, Center for Veterinary Medicine (HFV-502), Food and Drug Administration, 8401 Muirkirk Rd., Laurel, MD 20708, 301-827-8021.
To apply, submit letters of intent as soon as possible, but no later than April 3, 2000. Submit applications by April 17, 2000. Application forms are available from, and completed applications should be submitted to: Cynthia M. Polit, Grants Management Specialist, (HFA-520), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, rm. 2129, Rockville, MD 20857, Tel. 301-827-7180. (Applications hand-carried or commercially delivered should be addressed to 5630 Fishers Lane, HFA 520, Rm. 2129, Rockville, MD 20857.)
Issued by:
FDA, Center for Veterinary Medicine,
Communications Staff, HFV-12
7519 Standish Place, Rockville, MD 20855
Telephone: (240) 276-9300 FAX: (240) 276-9115
Internet Web Site: http://www.fda.gov/cvm
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