NCSU veterinary college receives $625,000 research grant

Greensboro, N.C.

-- North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine received a $625,000 grant from Novartis Animal Health US Inc., to support the clinical trials program administered by the college's Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research.

Presented over a five-year period, the grant will fund a clinical-trials veterinarian, a veterinary research technician and laboratory space and equipment for studies involving patients at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

The clinical trials program will help investigators evaluate new approaches to diagnose and treat diseases that affect animals and humans, says Dr. Gregg Dean, director of the research center. The program also serves as a liaison between clinical investigators, basic researchers, referring veterinarians, pet owners and industry scientists.

"We recognize the veterinary program at North Carolina State as a center of excellence for clinical research in veterinary medicine, and believe this gift will support ... innovative solutions for animal-health problems," says Dr. Gary Bosch, Novartis' vice president for research and development.