BEAGLE FREEDOM PROJECT AWARDS $50K GRANT TO DR. LEI KERR, PROFESSOR AT MIAMI UNIVERSITY IN OXFORD, OHIO, TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE DEVICE DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE ANIMAL-BASED RESEARCH

BEAGLE FREEDOM PROJECT AWARDS $50K GRANT TO DR. LEI KERR, PROFESSOR AT MIAMI UNIVERSITY IN OXFORD, OHIO, TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE DEVICE DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE ANIMAL-BASED RESEARCH

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 10, 2017) – The national non-profit, animal rescue and advocacy organization Beagle Freedom Project (BFP), recently announced four chosen winners of its first ever ‘Beagle Freedom Prize’.

Of the chosen winners, Dr. Lei Kerr (professor of chemical and biomedical engineering at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio) was awarded with a $50k grant to fund her longtime innovative project, which entails the development of a device used for the study of nanomaterial deposition in the brain through inhalation.

Today, a common practice is the use of animals – including rats and beagles – in crude inhalation procedures to study the effects of inhaled nanomaterials and other substances, despite the fact that these species do not give us data that can be reliably extrapolated to people. One problem is that there is wide variability across species with respect to the breathing patterns and shape of the nose. This can affect whether and how nanomaterials are transported from nose to brain. Dr. Kerr’s project will develop a device that could accurately measure the deposition and distribution of nanomaterials in the brain through inhalation, and thus offer more accurate base for the prediction of nanomaterial toxicity in the brain.

“It is very rewarding when an organization such as Beagle Freedom Project recognizes the work and research we have put forth in order to reduce and eliminate the use of animals in laboratory experimentation,” Dr. Lei Kerr explains. “BFP’s generous grant will help us in the completion of our study, and most importantly, it will support our overall mission of saving the lives of thousands of animals.”

“When we were reviewing potential winners for our ‘Beagle Freedom Prize’ contest, it was without a doubt that Dr. Lei Kerr exceeded our expectations of researchers with the same vision and mission as our organization,” states BFP Vice President, Kevin Chase. “We want to make a strong difference on this important matter, and funding Dr. Kerr’s innovative project is a step towards that goal.”

BFP negotiates with laboratories around the world for the release of beagles and other animals, helping to set them free from the grueling life of being tested for cosmetics, products, and scientific curiosities. The non-profit has strong celebrity support from stars such as Sia, Chelsea Handler, Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, Maria Menounos, Whitney Cummings, Nikki Reed, and Ian Somerhalder, to name a few.

For more information on Beagle Freedom Project, or to interview Dr. Lei Kerr and/or Kevin Chase, please contact Eileen Koch of EKC PR, a full service Branding, Marketing, and Public Relations firm at 310.441.1000 or email Eileen@ekcpr.com. Visit www.EKCPR.com.