Vet-LIRN Network Capacity-Building Projects

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support enhanced human and animal food safety by strengthening the capacity, collaboration, and integration of food-safety laboratories and networks, thereby facilitating an effective and coordinated response to future human and animal food safety issues. The current FOA solicits applications from FDA's Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network laboratories for research related to emerging public food safety issues identified by the Vet-LIRN network office (VPO), for equipment and personnel necessary to expand laboratory capability and capacity, and for other related activities. This cooperative agreement program is intended to build domestic laboratory capacity as put forth in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), by developing the Vet-LIRN laboratory Network capabilities and capacity to investigate potential animal foodborne illness outbreaks.