Location: Food and Feed Safety Research
Project Number: 3091-32420-001-016-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2025
End Date: Jul 31, 2028
Objective:
Secure a BSL3 and BSL3 (Ag) facility and associated logistical and ancillary support under the direction of USDA scientists, to conduct ARS/FSIS priority food safety research to investigate alternate means to confirm viable/intact highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in samples (other than growing in egg). Further to understand the virus growth dynamics in avian vs bovine cells/tissues. These organoids will be tested as a method to grow highly pathogenic avian influenza virus and determine the viability of virus from various environmental and experimental samples.
Approach:
This project will operate as a collaboration between the Office of National Programs (ONP), the Food and Feed Safety Research Unit, and Texas A&M University to study organoid models, in both chicken and bovine, for the growth of viable and infective highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Considering the high viral titers generated in dairy cattle mammary, a mammary organoid may be a means of culturing live virus outside an egg-based system. Trachea will also be tested as a natural, respiratory site of virus replication. Using the organoid model and the relevant H5N1 strain is a unique opportunity afforded by the facilities and expertise of FFSRU and Texas A&M University. In addition, FFSRU can compare these results to LPAI in these organoids for any indications of tropism differences relevant to cattle mammary and thus food safety consequence differences of the strains.