Centers, Institutes, and Initiatives

  • Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH)
    The CFSPH was established with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2002 at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. The Center is funded through grants and cooperative agreements from federal and state governments and industry and nonprofit organizations. The CFSPH was designated as a World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Collaborating Centre for Day-One Veterinary Competencies and Continuing Education in 2016. The CFSPH provides: 1) accurate information on transboundary animal diseases and zoonotic diseases; 2) online education for veterinary students and animal health professionals; 3) tools for infection control; 4) resources for local, state, and federal agencies to prepare for animal emergencies; and 5) website technical fact sheets, annotated images, and PowerPoint presentations on important diseases for use by veterinary, medical and public health professionals, and resources for the general public. 
     
  • Institute for International Cooperation in Animal Biologics
    The IICAB works to improve the availability, safety, efficacy and use of veterinary biologics (vaccines and diagnostics) throughout the world. Veterinary biologics are a cost-effective method to prevent animal disease, to increase the efficiency of food production, and to increase the availability of high quality protein for humans. The IICAB works closely with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Center for Veterinary Biologics and National Veterinary Services Laboratories. Together, the three institutions are a World Organization for Animal Health Collaborating Center for the Diagnosis of Animal Disease and Vaccine Evaluation in the Americas.
     
  • One Health
    The One Health program embraces translational medicine in research, outreach, and learning. The College of Veterinary Medicine has been significantly engaged in the university-wide research effort including ISU's High Impact Hire Initiatives, which hired new college faculty researching infectious diseases; developing more animal models for human diseases; and using Big Data analysis. These faculty complement existing research programs in platelet disorders, cancer, medical device development, comparative ophthalmology, neuroscience, vaccine and immunotherapy, and gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases, that benefit animal and human health. These areas support the future focus of the University healthy lives research theme that seeks to position ISU as one of the best universities in the world that provides transformative science-based solutions to pursuing a healthy lifestyle by recognizing the interdependencies of human, animal, and plant health.
     
  • Swine Medicine Education Center
    The Swine Medicine Education Center is dedicated to providing veterinary students and practicing veterinarians from across the United States and around the world with extensive hands-on experiences and education in swine health and production. Mission Statement: The mission of the Swine Medicine Education Center is to collect and synthesize the best practices for clinical swine medicine and to translate and disseminate those practices to stakeholders who can apply them to improve swine health, ensure pork safety, maintain sustainability, and conserve resources. Impact: Since September 2011 the SMEC has trained students from 17 domestic veterinary schools and 27 countries with both on-farm and distance learning modules. We are motivated to make a global impact to advance production practices, welfare of animals, and provide the best pedagogy for students.

The Infectious Disease program focuses on infectious diseases that affect both animal and human health. Topics cover bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections including pathogenesis, diagnostics, innate and adaptive immunity, vaccine development, and host-microbe interactions. Researchers use classic and contemporary approaches including genomics and computational biology. Funding is provided from a variety of sources including: NIH, USDA, DOD, NSF, and biologic corporations. 

The Food Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance program has faculty in the basic and applied research of foodborne pathogens, such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, including epidemiology, transmission, and ecology; fundamental biology and colonization mechanisms; and development of intervention strategies. CVM also has a research focus on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which covers mechanisms of AMR; persistence, transmission and evolution of AMR; systems approach to understanding AMR; and development of innovative interventions for AMR. Additionally, CVM leads a university-wide initiative on AMR, which promotes collaboration in addressing AMR-related challenges.

The Animal Health and Welfare program includes infectious and non-infectious diseases/factors impacting multiple animal species, including swine, cattle, sheep, and poultry. Research areas include diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and management of animal diseases; epidemiology and risk analysis; and pain management and animal welfare. Animal welfare, including health impacts, is led by the CVM in prevention and diagnostics for emerging infectious animal diseases, such as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and high pathogenic avian influenza. Molecular methods and high throughput DNA sequence analysis are used for rapid and accurate detection of pathogens and disease diagnosis, understanding evolution of pathogens and diseases, identification of genetic changes associated with disorders and diseases, and development of next-generation diagnostics.