Federal Grant Award Summary

Iowa State University of Science and Technology received a $299,922 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program (CFDA 10.310), effective February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2028. This seed grant project repurposes the Hewlett Packard D300E Digital Dispensing System to develop a reproducible and cost-effective methodology for on-site generation of custom antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) supplies within veterinary diagnostic laboratories. The primary deliverables include validated 96-well broth microdilution plates that enable rapid response to emerging antimicrobial resistance threats, with secondary validation of frozen custom plates for shipment and use in external laboratories.

The project addresses critical needs in antimicrobial stewardship by enabling veterinary diagnostic laboratories to rapidly generate custom AST plates in response to changing diagnostic requirements and emerging antimicrobial resistance threats to animal production systems. Following initial on-site validation at the Ames, Iowa facility, the research team will validate the technology for freeze-shipment capabilities and apply the methodology to generate data supporting improved antimicrobial stewardship practices in poultry production. Successful validation of this technology will provide veterinary diagnostic laboratories with a practical tool for incorporating rapid, customizable AST plate generation into their routine workflows, thereby improving antimicrobial resistance surveillance and stewardship across the animal health sector.