Recipient Organization
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
S. AND 16TH ELWOOD
AMES,IA 50011
Performing Department
Vet Diagnostic & Production An
Non Technical Summary
The financial resources provided to the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ISU VDL) as a core laboratory in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) are essential in enhancing animal disease monitoring capabilities and capacity, demonstrating competence and compliance of well-defined testing standards, supporting the development and implementation of quality assurance programs that drive the continuous improvement of the laboratory, increasing collaboration and connectivity between state and federal animal health officials and diagnostic laboratories, and improving foreign or emerging animal disease testing, surveillance, and containment capabilities. NAHLN's support of the ISU VDL is essential in driving the continual improvement of the laboratory's ability to adequately serve and protect the health and well-being of US food-animal agriculture and the safety and abundance of our nation's food-supply. Federal support through the NAHLN is a cornerstone of enhancing our laboratory, regional, and national preparedness to effectively monitor and respond to emerging diseases of importance to both animal and human health. These funds have enabled the ISU VDL the ability to maintain a BSL- 3 capable diagnostic laboratory space and proficiency-trained diagnostic technicians that must be prepared when a disease outbreak occurs and utilized on a regular basis for foreign, emerging, and domestic disease surveillance. These funds also support laboratory information technology infrastructure, capabilities, and personnel to develop and use data systems necessary for secure management and transmission of sensitive laboratory data. Similarly, support through the NAHLN has been critical towards enhancing the ISU VDL's quality assurance programs that validate the accuracy and reliability of the test results to reassure decision-makers and foreign trading partners that they can have confidence in the results. In short, funding received through the NAHLN is used as an extremely efficient and effective means of leveraging the capabilities existing at the ISU VDL to enhance the US diagnostic system serving to protect animal health, human health, and the greater than 100 billion dollar US animal agricultural economy.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The ISU VDL will take the following actions to fulfill the responsibilities of a Level 1 laboratory:Meet all responsibilities of a Level 1 laboratory as outlined in the 2021 Agreement for Participation in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) As a Level 1 Laboratory.Increase NAHLN capabilities and capacity in addressing an adverse animal health event such as may occur with an emerging disease detection or foreign animal disease outbreak.Some highlights include:1. Accept and rapidly test samples in support of disease investigations, surveillance and outbreak situations.2. Provide diagnostic data per the specified timelines and reporting requirements.3. Maintaining full accreditation by AAVLD or by an accrediting body according to OIE/ISO 17025 standard and provide documentation of such.4. Actively and consistently electronically message diagnostic test results, using HL7 standards, to the Laboratory Messaging System (LMS) or other VS systems for all laboratory approved NAHLN assays able to be messaged.
Project Methods
Moving forward into 2021, the ISU VDL will plan to continue to meet the commitments and expectations associated with being a Level 1 Laboratory in the NAHLN. Such commitments are outlined and detailed more in full in the "2021 Agreement for Participation in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) as a Level 1 Laboratory".These commitments largely center on maintaining and continuing to increase the NAHLN capabilities and capacity in addressing an adverse animal health event such as may occur with an emerging disease detection or foreign animal disease outbreak.Specific areas of focus center on sustaining and continual advancement of the ISU VDL's veterinary diagnostic information technology capabilities, quality system, and overall diagnostic testing capabilities and testing capacities for diseases of high consequence to US animal agriculture. Such capabilities and continuously improvements are largely brought about through sustaining depth of well-trained and highly competent technical staff, and in maintaining a capable, functional, and well-equipped facility.