2019 Feline Health Grants
Published: January 25, 2023
Winn Feline Foundation

EveryCat Health Foundation
(Formerly Winn Feline Health Foundation)
www.everycat.org
2019 Feline Health Grants
  16 Grants Funded for a Total of $307,679

Winn Feline Foundation is pleased to announce the award of sixteen feline medical research grants totaling $307,679 funded through the generous support of private and corporate donations from around the world.

Over the years, Winn Feline Foundation has helped to advance veterinary expertise in all areas of feline health. Research topics considered for funding are quite broad and can cover any issue that potentially benefits feline health and well-being such as disease identification, treatment, diagnostics, nutrition, and behavior, to name a few. In addition, project selection is based on strict criteria, including scientific merit, clinical relevance, budgetary soundness, and humane treatment.

This year, the Winn Feline Foundation’s Grant Review Committee reviewed forty-one grant proposals, and grants were awarded for the following studies:

Shelter Medicine

Optimization of the Diagnosis of Feline Parvovirus (Panleukopenia) Infection in a Shelter Environment (W19-003)
PI: Dr. Linda Jacobson, Toronto Humane Society; $21,500
(Sponsored by PetSmart Charities®)

Refining a Method to Measure Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in Freely Moving Cats Assess Welfare (W19-012)
PI: Dr. Lynette A. Hart, University of California, Davis; $11,306 
(Sponsored by PetSmart Charities®)

Effects of a Surrogate Mother on Misdirected Oral Behaviors in Orphaned Neonatal Kittens (W19-035)
PI: Dr. Karen Vernau; University of California, Davis; $25,000
(Sponsored by PetSmart Charities® and Winn Funded)

Screening Shelter Cats for FELV: Balancing Disease Control and Lifesaving (W19-041)
PIs: Dr. Alexis Bardzinski and Dr. Julie Levy; Austin Pets Alive! and University of Florida; $24,984
(Sponsored by PetSmart Charities®)


New Feline Investigators Award

Gene Editing Strategies for Treatment of Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (W19-005)
PI: Dr. Elliott Chiu; Colorado State University; $15,000
(Maine Coon Fund/Ricky Fund)


New Feline Investigators Award - Genome

Annotation of Genome Regulatory Regions in Feline Non-Doding DNA via Tissue Specific ChIP-Seq (W19-010)
PIs: Dr. Alexandra N. Myers and Dr. William Murphy; Texas A&M AgriLife Research; $15,000
(Sponsored by Wisdom Health™)


Bria Fund Studies

Identification of Diagnostic Biomarkers of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (W19-024)
PIs: Dr. Gregg Dean and Dr. Kelly Santangelo; Colorado State University; $25,000

Generating an Attenuated Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) Vaccine by Inactivating EndoU (W19-025)
PIs: Dr. Gary R. Whittaker and Dr. Susan G. Baker; Cornell University and Loyola University Chicago; $25,000

Developing a Safe and Effective Anticoronaviral Therapy for Cats with FIP – Continuation (W19-026)
PIs: Dr. Brian Murphy and Dr. Niels C. Pedersen; University of California, Davis; $23,779

Determining the Pharmacokinetic Profile of Mefloquine in Clinically Normal Cats as a Preliminary In-Vivo Study Towards a Potential Treatment for Feline Infectious Peritonitis (W19-027)
PIs: Dr. Merran Govendir and Dr. Jaqueline Norris; University of Sydney; $24,624


Urinary/Kidney Fund Studies

Evaluation of Feline Urine Concentrations of Amoxicillin and Clavulanate (W19-038)
PIs: Dr. Kate KuKanich and Dr. Butch KuKanich; Kansas State University; $7,275


General Studies

Diagnostic and Molecular Identification of Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection in Cats from Animal Shelters in Southern Louisiana (W19-002)
PI: Dr. Eric Dumonteil, Tulane University; $24,937

Targeted Intra-Arterial Administration of Tissue Plasminogen Activator as a Treatment for Feline Distal Aortic Thromboembolism (W19-014)
PIs: Dr. Sigal Klainbart and Dr. Joshua Milgram; The Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Koret school of Veterinary Medicine; $24,950

Accuracy and Precision of Compounded Famciclovir for Treatment of Cats Affected with Feline Herpesvirus Type-1 (W19-030)
PI: Dr. Louise O’Leary; Iowa State University; $8,587

The Pharmacokinetics of Single Oral Dose Extended-Release Topiramate and Adverse Effects After Multi-Dose Administration in Healthy Cats (W19-037)
PIs: Dr. Kari Foss and Dr. Jennifer M. Reinhart; University of Illinois; $18,800

Assessment of Transdermal Penetration of Gabapentin in Cats (W19-039)
PI; Dr. Jennifer E. Slovak; Washington State University; $11,937



SAID=27