Boehringer Ingelheim Expands Focus of Research Funding Program; Announces Call for Proposals

February 28, 2022 — 

Boehringer Ingelheim announced today an open call for proposals for its newly-expanded research funding program, Growing Research and New Technology for Swine (GRANTS).

Previously known as the Awards for Advancing Research in Respiratory Disease (AWARRD), the expanded focus of the GRANTS program allows it to fund field-applicable research into the full scope of swine health and production, from respiratory, reproductive and enteric diseases to new technologies, diagnostics and overall approaches to supporting pig health and performance.

Through this program, Boehringer Ingelheim will award funding to three research proposals for $35,000 each. The call for proposals is open now through May 31, 2022.

"The research resulting from this program has been critical to improving the industry's approach to swine health and production, particularly related to PRRS and other respiratory diseases," said Reid Philips, DVM, PRRS Technical Manager, Boehringer Ingelheim. "The expansion of the Growing Research and New Technology for Swine (GRANTS) program increases its impact, enabling valuable learnings about holistic pig health and allowing us to better tackle the complex and ever-changing challenges producers face in the barn every day."

Research proposals must have the potential to generate new information or approaches to the control and management of swine diseases or inspire broader industry innovation. Proposals will be judged by the Swine Research and Technology Review Board, which consists of five independent swine veterinarians and researchers.

"By implementing the key learnings from the research funded by GRANTS [Growing Research and New Technology for Swine], veterinarians and producers can more effectively implement tools and protocols to control and manage swine diseases with less impact on production," said Dr. Montse Torremorell, University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

Throughout the last 20 years, across multiple evolutions of this program, Boehringer Ingelheim has provided more than $1.5 million in support of the development of less costly, innovative diagnostic testing and sampling processes; identified more effective biosecurity practices; helped the industry better understand key diseases; and developed risk assessment tools, intervention programs and vaccination strategies.

For more information on the program, including how to apply, please visit the GRANTS website.