Fire-footed rope squirrels identified as a natural reservoir for monkeypox virus
Mpox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) that can lead to severe illness in humans. It regularly spills over from wildlife to humans in West and Central Africa, and some of these spillovers have recently sparked large global outbreaks sustained by human-to-human transmission.
Pekingese, Shih Tzu and Staffordshire Bull Terrier among twelve dog breeds at risk of serious breathing condition
Scientists have identified a further twelve dog breeds as being at risk of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome – a condition that can cause serious breathing problems – including the Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Boston Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua and Boxer.
Early study connects dogs’ cancer survival with which microorganisms live in their gut
Canine cancer patients receiving a new form of immunotherapy lived longer or shorter depending on the composition of their microbiome, the community of organisms living in their gut.
LSU Vet School Researcher Receives $2 Million NIH Grant to Explore Novel Treatments for Alcohol and Substance-Use Disorders
Ethan Anderson, a translational neuroscientist at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, has been awarded a five-year, $2 million R01 grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to investigate new treatment strategies for alcohol-use and other substance-use disorders. The funding supports preclinical research aimed at understanding how lifestyle, environment, and genetic mechanisms interact to influence addiction.
Seek Labs Secures $2 Million to Develop Next-Gen Therapeutics for Avian Influenza
Seek Labs, a private TechBio company focused on programmable disease response, has received a $2 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to advance a novel, mutation-resistant therapeutic for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The initiative is part of APHIS’s broader $100 million HPAI Grand Challenge, aimed at accelerating solutions to combat a virus that continues to threaten poultry production, global food supply, and animal health.
Honoring Two Virology Pioneers: New Scholarship Supports Future Public Health and Veterinary Leaders
Established by their families, the Dr. Pedro Acha and Dr. Luis Melendez Scholarship will support students with demonstrated financial need and a strong interest in public health. Preference will be given to students dual-enrolled in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and Master of Public Health (MPH) programs.