Spotlight on the Cassmann Lab

Dr. Eric Cassmann
Associate Professor of Veterinary Pathology

Research Area
Dr. Cassmann’s primary area of research focuses on prion diseases in livestock. Over the last two decades, the landscape of significant livestock prion diseases has shifted dramatically, moving from Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle and scrapie in sheep, to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in cervids. Cassmann has dedicated his research to these unique diseases for the past ten years.

Collaborations
Cassmann is working with colleagues Drs. Liang Dong and Jifeng Bian on developing improved testing methods for CWD in deer. “This work is a truly multidisciplinary effort that merges prion science with advanced electrical engineering,” Cassmann says. “I deeply enjoy this style of collaboration. While engineers can build incredible, cutting-edge diagnostic devices, integrating their technical skills with biological experts who understand a complex disease like prion disease is essential. This partnership allows us to advance our capabilities and achieve breakthroughs that neither discipline could accomplish alone.”

Funding

• $250,000 grant from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to fund further development of the Chronic Wasting Disease sensor

Results
Cassmann and his team have successfully developed a diagnostic method that achieves an accuracy rate comparable to currently approved tests but with a massive 99.17% reduction in processing time in addition to being more cost-effective. “Looking ahead, our lab is actively investigating ways to improve sensitivity and scale up this testing method to allow for higher throughput,” Cassmann says.

A faster, lower-cost diagnostic test for CWD would be a game changer for state wildlife agencies and agricultural departments managing the disease in the wild and on cervid farms. The rapid turnaround time will greatly benefit hunters by providing them with swift results for hunter-harvested animal testing.

Summer Scholars
In 2026, Cassmann’s research lab had two CVM Summer Scholars working on key projects. One project aimed to better understand feline papillomaviruses, which are viruses that can cause skin cancer in cats. Another project evaluated intestinal endoscopic biopsies from the ileum in dogs and cats with a goal of finding ways to improve sample quality for more accurate diagnoses.

Research Team
Dr. Eric Cassmann
Collaborators: Drs. Jifeng Bian & Liang Dong at the National Animal Disease Center and the University of Georgia

September 2026