USask’s VIDO secures provincial funding to advance priority animal health research and knowledge translation

“Without food security, there is no national security,” said Dr. Volker Gerdts, director and CEO of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask). In Saskatchewan, livestock producers are the frontline guarantee of ensuring food security and new provincial funding is helping VIDO support them with science-driven solutions to protect animal health and strengthen the province’s and the nation’s food system.

VIDO has secured more than $2.5 million through the Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), a federal and provincial government-supported program providing funding to key agricultural research.  This includes $625,000 for priority animal health research projects and an additional $1.8 million for a multi-year communications and engagement partnership.

The partnership strengthens connections between VIDO scientists and livestock producers across Saskatchewan, ensuring that the latest scientific advancements are shared and applied. Through targeted engagement with producer organizations, industry stakeholders, and government partners, VIDO scientists have better access to understand the real problems that livestock producers are facing which helps direct future VIDO research and development. By combining scientific innovation with practical outreach, the partnership delivers meaningful benefits for animal health, productivity, and sustainability, reinforcing Canada’s broader food security.

“This funding allows us to accelerate high-impact research that addresses real challenges facing the livestock sector,” said Gerdts. “It supports scientific innovation that will help protect animal health and contribute to the long-term sustainability of agriculture in Saskatchewan.”

ADF funded research projects at VIDO include:

MSX-1 – A NOVEL BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS VACCINE

The MSX-1 project, led by Dr. Jeffrey Chen, received $450,000 in ADF funding to advance the development of a next-generation vaccine candidate for bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB), a federally reportable disease that poses a significant risk to livestock health and market access. Although Canada maintains an official bovine TB-free status, recent detections by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, including a Saskatchewan cattle herd identified in late 2024 and early 2025, underscore the ongoing need for vigilance and proactive disease prevention tools. These cases demonstrate the need for proactive solutions that help prevent transmission, limit costly eradication measures, and support Canada’s ability to maintain its TB-free status by reducing risk both domestically and from international sources.

The new vaccine is designed to help protect cattle from bovine tuberculosis without interfering with routine diagnostic tests that are essential for disease monitoring and control. The research will assess how well and how long the vaccine protects cattle against bovine TB, while also better defining how MSX-1 is able to confer this protection. This work directly supports improved animal health, stronger disease prevention tools, and the long-term sustainability of Canada’s livestock sector. Indirectly and in the long-term, this research will also help combat TB in humans by eliminating a zoonotic source of the disease.

DEVELOPMENT OF A SHEEP MODEL TO INVESTIGATE CACHE VALLEY VIRUS DISEASE, ANTIVIRAL IMMUNE RESPONSES, AND VACCINE COUNTERMEASURES

Led by Dr. Bryce Warner, this project received $175,000 in ADF funding to support the development of vaccines against Cache Valley virus, an emerging disease that can cause serious reproductive losses in sheep. In one Saskatchewan study 94% of flocks had one or more sheep with antibodies indicating past infection[1]. Research at VIDO will establish pregnant sheep models to better understand how the virus causes disease and how the immune system responds to infection. By identifying protective immune responses, the team will develop and test potential vaccine candidates in pregnant ewes, helping to reduce the impact of the disease on animal health and the sheep industry. The project is co-funded by Alberta’s Results Driven Agriculture Research and the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board, reflecting strong producer engagement.

To read more about the ADF announcement, visit: USask and the Government of Saskatchewan

The Agriculture Development Fund program is funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

[1] Seroprevalence of Cache Valley virus and related viruses in sheep and other livestock from Saskatchewan, Canada