U.S. cattle supplies have been at historically low levels. This is made even worse by bovine respiratory disease (BRD), which kills an estimated 8 million calves every year. Fortunately, a professor from Louisiana State University has been working on a solution to the problem that BRD presents. Dr. Shafiqul Chowdhury has developed a modified live virus vaccine that has an increased efficiency against BRD. Think of it like an herbicide with multiple modes of action- Dr. Chowdhury’s vaccine can target several important viruses.
Thanks to the Bayh-Dole Act, LSU was able to obtain a patent for Dr. Chowdhury’s discovery and prepare it for licensing. Dr. Chowdhury said the support of the Bayh-Dole Coalition paved the way for their continued research and innovation.
Joseph Allen, executive director of the Bayh-Dole Coalition, said Dr. Chowdhury’s story is a great example of the Bayh-Dole Act in action.
Allen said the importance of this innovation is why Dr. Chowdhury was a recipient of the 2024 Faces of American Innovation award.
The full conversation with Allen and Dr. Chowdhury can be found on the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network YouTube channel.
