VIDO awarded over $500,000 to drive innovation in animal health and vaccine preparedness

Jan 29, 2025

Two VIDO-led research projects at the University of Saskatchewan have received more than $500,000 in funding from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF). The grants support the growth of the agriculture industry in Saskatchewan, particularly for developing solutions to emerging problems that impact production and processing.

Testing E. coli virulence in chickens and development of an anti-E.coli vaccine

Escherichia coli infections in broiler chickens represent a significant challenge for Saskatchewan farmers, posing risks to their flocks and reducing overall farm profitability. Some strains of E. coli are particularly dangerous, causing severe infections that can spread rapidly.

With $123,000 in ADF funding, Dr. Aaron White’s research focuses on testing the virulence of E. coli strains collected from Saskatchewan broiler farms and examining the role of plasmids and specific genes responsible for their harmful effects. This knowledge will be used to develop a new vaccine to combat E. coli infections in chickens.

Improving vaccine manufacturing to enhance emergency preparedness for outbreaks

VIDO is enhancing its vaccine manufacturing capabilities with $392,517 in ADF funding to invest in advanced tools that improve precision and scalability. Dr. Volker Gerdts’ team will use the funding to purchase and install Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy equipment—technologies that will streamline vaccine production.

This investment will expand VIDO’s ability to develop vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases, including those that affect the livestock industry and with pandemic potential through species transfer. It will also support the development of vaccines that can be rapidly transformed into ready-to-use doses during an outbreak, helping to prevent and manage the spread of disease.

This project highlights VIDO’s commitment to protecting agriculture and strengthening Saskatchewan’s ability to respond to infectious disease threats.

Learn more about Livestock and Forage ADF 2025 recipients at USask