Concept

Mouse models dominate basic medical research, but they may not reflect complex naturally-occurring human disease well. Being able to translate basic science advances derived from mice to tangible advances for human health, i.e., translational biomedical research, is a well-recognized frustration. Many Nobel prizes testify that research using domestic animals (which are sources of many human infectious diseases and/or have naturally-occurring diseases that emulate human diseases) has historically transformed human health and can meet the critical need for translational biomedical research today. Despite this, domestic animals are vastly underutilized for translational research. The Department of Clinical Sciences Translational Biomedical Research center (TBRc) will uniquely improve national research expenditure return by identifying and investigating natural, spontaneously-occurring, complex animal diseases that emulate human disease. TBRc experimental findings will translate directly to human medicine. The TBRc will focus initially on asthma, personalized cardiovascular medicine, immunosuppressive disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, cancer, and aging. Our priority is to invest in equipment, minor renovations, and graduate student, postdoctoral scientist, as well as research staff and faculty salaries to improve scholarship and grant submission numbers aimed at securing more competitive funding and TBRc growth. The TBRc will promote involvement with human health professionals and attract biomedical industry by building on existing collaborations such those with UMMC, UAB, UT, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, U. Wash, Mayo Clinic, U. Houston, and Harvard Medical School as well as with industry partners such as Cenomed, Ethicon, Merck and Pfizer.

Justification

Veterinary training is optimal for translational biomedical research. The TBRc's focus on naturally-occurring animal models of human disease addresses the critical national needs to 1) improve human health outcomes from animal research, and 2) increase the numbers of scientists who can do translational biomedical research by supporting MS and PhD degree programs. The TBRc will focus on pre-existing NIH initiatives within the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research Program that are poorly addressed including the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Consortium, Rapid Access to Interventional Development Pilot Program, and The National Institute on Aging, which, as an example, recognizes that dogs' environments, diseases, and treatments are translational models for life-long aging research.

Economic Impact

The TBRc will focus to improve yields from biomedical research funding by identifying new approaches and medications for human disease and providing biomedical industries with natural animal models relevant to human disease. Economic return per $1M of biomedical funding in AL and LA is 14.7 new jobs with a mean income multiplier of 0.50 (NIH OSP); similar should be expected here.

MSU Capabilities

MSU CVM is one of 26 fully accredited US veterinary colleges with board certified experts in domestic animal diseases. It has 300 DVM students annually, an NIH T35 Veterinary Scholars Program grant, 80 graduate students, and 12 veterinary graduates pursuing residencies under the mentorship of experienced clinical researchers. Uniquely, MSU CVM has a nascent critical mass of researchers, peer-reviewed publications and competitive funding in translational biomedical research; leads in translational animal genomics and biocomputing; and has a 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging machine to be integrated into the TBRc. It also has existing interdisciplinary collaborators and resources within CALS and MAFES.

Potential Sponsors

HHS: potentially: Health Resources and Services Administration (Office of Rural Health Policy, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Bureau of Health Professions); CDC (Coordinated Ctr for Health Promotion, National Ctr for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion); NIH; FDA; Administration on Aging; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Administration for Children and Families MSU Contacts: Dr Ron McLaughlin (TBRc administrator), Dr. Kent Hoblet, CVM Dean. Starkville.

Contact Information

Dr Ron McLaughlin (TBRc administrator)
Dr. Kent Hoblet, CVM Dean