NEWS 108 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2025 ProtonDx’s IMPACT-Farm Alliance partnership, co-led by Dr. Nick Moser (as ProtonDx) and Dr. Jesus Rodriguez-Manzano (as Imperial College London), was awarded a Large R&D Partnership grant from Innovate UK Farming Innovation Programme to advance the development of Lacewing, a sample-to-result diagnostic tool designed to detect disease outbreaks and optimise vaccine strategies on pig farms. In collaboration with leading experts from Imperial College London’s Faculty of Medicine, the Imperial Dyson School of Engineering, UK Agri-Tech Centre, Ceva, and Pilgrim’s, this funding will accelerate the progress of Lacewing, bringing it closer to becoming a rapid and cost-effective solution for farmers, veterinarians, and the broader agricultural sector. ProtonDx highlights Lacewing as a revolutionary ‘lab-on-a-chip’ technology capable of detecting and diagnosing porcine respiratory infections such as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex (PRDC) and influenza. Currently, such infections are managed using a mix of vaccines, improved livestock management practices and antibiotics when illness leads to secondary bacterial infections. However, the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the limited availability of effective vaccines for many pathogens continues to present a growing problem. ProtonDx co-founder and CTO Dr. Nick Moser said: "By working with a world-class team, we can transform the detection and management of porcine lung diseases on farms globally.” Read more>> The world premiere of the Ukrainian-German anthology film Animals in War took place on June 8, 2025, at the international independent film festival, Tribeca Festival in New York. The lead role in one of the film’s segments was played by Sean Penn. Animals in War is a collection of seven short films, most of which are based on true events. Each story centers on the tragedy of animals whose lives have been changed by war. The anthology encompasses various genres and narrative styles, all united by a common theme — compassion. The anthology was developed over the course of two years by around 500 Ukrainian and international filmmakers. The film was produced by Oleg Kokhan and Oleksiy Makukhin, while the opening episode was directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi, whose film The Tribe was showcased at more than 100 film festivals worldwide. The soundtrack to the anthology features the song Burn Out by the American band Imagine Dragons. One of the project’s partners is the social initiative Save Pets of Ukraine, part of the international U-Hearts Foundation platform, founded in 2022 by Ukrainian pet food manufacturer Kormotech. U-Hearts Foundation collects support from international donors and channels it toward Ukrainian animal welfare organizations, shelters, and volunteers working to save animals during the war. Read more>> Major grant supports detection of pig diseases and antimicrobial resistance Sean Penn stars in new Animals in War anthology film Photo: Kormotech Photo: Shutterstock | 288648899
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