Open Research RFP – Swine Health

The Office of Grants and Research wishes to inform the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) community of a rolling research funding opportunity under the Swine Health Request for Proposals (RFP).

This RFP is issued by the Swine Disease Research Task Force under the National Pork Board. The task force—comprising pork producers, veterinarians, allied industry representatives and subject matter experts—identifies critical swine health research priorities and releases targeted and open calls for proposals. In addition to the biannual spring and fall RFPs, researchers are invited to submit proposals at any time under this open, rolling RFP.

Key Highlights:

• Funder: National Pork Board – Swine Disease Research Task Force
• Funding Amount: Up to $500,000 available under this rolling RFP
• Submission Mode: Rolling (proposals accepted at any time)
• Indirect Costs: Not allowed (salary and fringe benefits are allowable)
• Focus Area: Swine health research addressing industry-identified priorities

Research Focus Areas:

This RFP addresses knowledge gaps related to prevention, control, elimination, preparedness, and response to endemic and foreign animal diseases affecting swine.

Endemic Diseases & Pathogens of Interest:

• Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRSV)
• Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PEDV)
• Influenza A virus (IAV)
• Porcine circovirus (PCVx)
• Senecavirus A (SVA)
• Rotavirus
• Bacterial pathogens (e.g., Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Actinobacillus spp., Mycoplasma spp., Glasserella parasuis)

Foreign Animal Diseases:

• Foot and mouth disease (FMDV)
• Classical swine fever (CSF)
• African swine fever (ASF)

Example Topic Areas:

• Health management (vaccination protocols, treatments, etc.)
• Biosecurity (transport, supply entry, manure management, mortality management, etc.)
• Diagnostics (assay development, validation, diagnostic tools)

Eligibility:

• Open to qualified researchers capable of conducting rigorous swine health research.
• Proposals must clearly demonstrate industry need in the “Value of Proposed Research” section.
• Applications must follow the standard proposal format and submission guidelines of the National Pork Board.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Strong scientific rigor and statistical validity
• Clearly defined and justified budget
• Direct relevance and impact on the pork production industry
• Alignment with identified research priorities

Poorly written or weakly justified proposals will not be considered.

Proposal Format:

Submissions must follow the National Pork Board’s standard instructions and required template (available upon request). Ensure all required budget details are included.

How to Apply:

Research proposals may be submitted at any time for consideration by the Swine Disease Research Task Force.

Discipline: Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, Animal Health, Infectious Diseases, Agricultural Biosecurity, Epidemiology.