Montana State University Billings and the Science and Conservation Center have re-established a cooperation agreement. As part of this collaboration, the Science Conservation Center has approved funding for MSU Billings assistant professor of immunology Paul Nash, Ph.D., to assist them in developing an evaluation to test the stability of transporting a wildlife contraceptive vaccine under various conditions.
The SCC’s Porcine Zona Pellucida vaccine is a more humane alternative to control wildlife populations and can prevent animals from producing offspring for a period of time. Nash’s research will focus testing the effects of freezing and thawing the vaccine and other conditions; through this, the SCC and will determine how these conditions could lead to a strict control of shipping conditions or more flexibility in shipping, storage, and handling.
Nash notes that this collaboration will continue to allow the two institutions to have close ties and gives the SCC the opportunity to potentially improve their services while allowing MSUB faculty and students to be involved in the research.
Current student Sophia Gillespie will help Nash in the development of the evaluations for testing and has been conducting experiments in the lab for the storage of the vaccine. MSUB alumnus Madison LeBrun was recently hired at the SCC and will also be working with Nash on testing the conditions the vaccine may be exposed to along with preparing components of the vaccine.
The SCC is located at Zoo Montana and was founded by the late Jay Kirkpatrick, former MSUB faculty member and dean. “We are excited to work with the Science and Conservation Center,” says Nash.
“We hope to continue to have long-term interactions with them as the founder of the center, Dr. Kirkpatrick, would have envisioned.” Several MSUB faculty members also serve on the board of directors of the SCC.
“We are excited to be working with immunologist Paul Nash, who works right down the road at MSUB,” says Kimberly Frank, executive director of the SCC. “This work will help to determine the stability, viability, and efficacy of the PZP vaccine when subjected to the stress of real-world field conditions.”
Learn more about the Science and Conservation Center.
Learn more about the MSUB Science Department.
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