WFA Funded Research Grants

Total Funding Awarded: Nearly $800,000 since 2009

The Westie Foundation of America provides research grants to support investigations into canine health conditions, with particular emphasis on West Highland White Terrier health. Grants are awarded to veterinary researchers at academic institutions and research organizations.

Focus Areas

Research grants support investigations in:

• Oncology & Cancer Research:
  • Canine urothelial cancer
  • Hemangiosarcoma
  • Lymphoma (including B-cell lymphoma, peripheral T-cell lymphoma)
  • Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC)
  • Epigenome targeting in cancer
  • Immunotherapy approaches
• Dermatology:
  • Atopic dermatitis
  • Superficial pyoderma
  • Atopic skin microbiome interactions
  • Antimicrobial resistance in skin infections
  • Phage therapy for Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
  • Antifungal medication effectiveness
  • Anti-IgE peptide development
• Pulmonary & Respiratory:
  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)
  • Novel treatment options for IPF
  • Thyroid mimetics for fibrosis treatment
  • Clinical diagnosis and monitoring
• Gastrointestinal:
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
  • Chronic enteropathy
  • Probiotic therapy
  • Fecal microbiota transplantation
• Genetics & Genomics:
  • Genetic basis of inherited diseases
  • Biobanking and sample collection
  • Genome-wide association studies
  • Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) genetics
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (LCPD)
  • Craniomandibular Osteopathy (CMO)
• Immunology:
  • Immune system response to allergens
  • Natural killer cell immunotherapy
  • Mechanisms of allergic disease
  • Intralymphatic immunotherapy
• Imaging & Diagnostics:
  • 3D ultrasound for cancer monitoring
  • Raman spectroscopy for cancer detection
  • Tumor cell capture in blood
  • CT scan diagnostics

Eligible Researchers

• Veterinary researchers at academic institutions
• Research organizations and biotech companies (partnership model)
• Universities and veterinary schools
• Institutes affiliated with medical research

Geographic Scope

• International (funding has been awarded to institutions in US, UK, Canada, Switzerland, Australia)

Representative Recent Grants (2024-2025)

• Canine Urothelial Cancer - CHF Grant #03283 (University of Illinois) - February 2025 - $5,000
• Fecal Microbiota Transplantation - CHF Grant #03162 (University of Zurich) - February 2025 - $40,000
• Pulmonary Fibrosis Clinical Study (Tufts University/National Institute of Health) - December 2024 - $8,020
• Diagnostic Screening for Cancer using Raman Spectroscopy (Rametrix Technologies, Inc.) - June 2024 - $43,750
• Evaluation of Diluted Sodium Hypochlorite on Skin Microbiome (University of Florida) - June 2024 - $19,996
• Investigation of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Phenol-soluble Modulins (Long Island University) - June 2024 - $10,000
• DNA Biobank Sample Collection Support (Resero Genomics) - November 2023 - $10,600

Application Requirements

Research grants are funded through partnership with the Canine Health Foundation. Most grants listed are CHF grants that WFA has elected to fund in priority research areas.

Organization Background

• Founded: 1996
• Status: IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation
• Location: Texas, US
• Mission: Support canine health research with emphasis on West Highland White Terrier health and breed-specific conditions

Additional Information

• Research reports and technical papers are available on the foundation website
• Researchers can access detailed results and publications through the Research Projects tab
• Foundation provides updates through newsletters and website

Contact

• Website: westiefoundation.org
• Quick Links: Contact Us, Health Questions available on website

Application Process

Information about applying for WFA research grants is not explicitly detailed in the provided content. However, based on the grant structure:

• Funding Partnership: Most WFA grants are awarded through the Canine Health Foundation (CHF) grant program. Researchers interested in WFA funding may apply through:
  • Canine Health Foundation grant application process
  • Direct contact with WFA regarding research priorities
• Research Areas: Applicants should align proposed research with WFA priority areas:
  • West Highland White Terrier health conditions
  • Canine cancer research
  • Canine dermatology
  • Genetic studies in canines
  • Pulmonary and gastrointestinal research
• Submission: Contact WFA directly for current application guidelines and procedures

Contact for Applications

• Website: westiefoundation.org
• Contact Form: Available through website "Contact Us" page
• Email/Phone: Not specified in content; check website for current contact information