Development of Advanced Diagnostic

Tests for Chronic Wasting Disease

Project Leader: Peter A. Larsen, Ph.D.

Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences

 Chronic Wasting Disease
• Neurodegenerative disease of
cervids (deer, elk, moose,
caribou, etc.)

• Caused by misfolded prion

protein

• Pathogenic agent not a virus or

bacteria…but protein
conformation!

CWD Normal CWD

Chronic Wasting Disease
 CWD: looming crisis
• CWD prions persist in
environment for years

• Prions bind to soil, plant

roots; vegetation uptake

• Spread by wildlife
(coyotes, rodents, etc.)

• Cycle of infection

• CWD carcass and/or

fluids become source
for new infections…
Pritzkow et al. 2015
CWD: looming crisis
 CWD: looming crisis
• Threat to heritage

• Environmental contamination of prions

• CDC: “…avoid CWD infected meat”

• (~15,000 to 20,000 CWD + deer

consumed annually, expected 20%
increase per year)

• How can we manage CWD?

• We need new tools to fight CWD!

 CWD Diagnostics
Current diagnostic tests are lacking!

Expensive, time consuming, significant technical

expertise, limited sample types, potential for false-
negatives and false-positives, etc…

We must develop new tests!

 CWD Diagnostics
Ideal test
Increased sensitivity and accuracy
Reduced processing time
Sample variety (biological and environmental)
Both postmortem and antemortem
Easy to use
Field capable (deer-side)

How???
 UMN CWD Diagnostic
Development Team

Dr. Schefers Dr. Skinner Dr. Oh

Dr. Larsen Dr. Seelig

 Project Plan

RNA Prion Protein

Two-pronged approach to develop novel

CWD diagnostics
 Activity 1
RNA Focused
• Blood-based biomarkers

• Dr. Skinner and collaborators: ~50 predictive

RNAs

• Identified corresponding genes in the white-

tailed deer genome

• Hypothesis: CWD can be detected during

early, asymptomatic, stages by examining
RNA expression profiles in blood
 Activities 2 and 3
Prion Protein
• Identification of small molecules Focused
that bind to CWD prions

• Microfluidic technology that will

amplify and detect prions

• Both biological and environmental

samples

• Hunter-harvested deer, farmed

deer, venison testing, soil and
vegetation, etc.
Example: Oxford Nanopore
 Outcomes
• Develop advanced tools capable of detecting CWD in
animals and environmental samples

• Provide stakeholders with a real-time view of CWD across

the landscape

• Reduce human consumption of CWD meat by facilitating

rapid prion detection
 Thank you!
Save the Date
14 September 2019 (11:00 am)
Bell Museum of Natural History
CWD Public Outreach Event