Kansas State University has been named one of four Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. The designation comes with funding to advance regulatory science and develop innovative products supporting animal health and veterinary care.

K-State’s center focuses on creating reliable models to evaluate pain relief drugs for food animals, aiding new drug approvals. This research targets pain management in pigs, goats, and cattle for both diseases and surgical procedures.

Leading the project is Mike Apley, professor of clinical pharmacology and interim head of the Department of Anatomy and Physiology. He is joined by Eduarda Bortoluzzi, assistant professor of animal welfare, and Hans Coetzee, interim vice president of research, known for his work in animal welfare and pain relief. Co-investigators include Raghavendra Amachawadi, associate professor of food animal therapeutics, and Emily Reppert, associate professor of large animal medicine. Misty Bear and Mikaela Weeder from the College of Veterinary Medicine played key roles in securing the grant.