food, agricultural and environmental security cook college new jersey agricultural experiment...

Food, Agricultural and Environmental Security

Cook CollegeNew Jersey Agricultural

Experiment Station

Food Science

• Tom Montville

• Techniques to prevent the deliberate biocontamination of food

• Control of undesirable microbes in foods

Major Areas of Security Related Research

http://www.amnistia.net/librairi/amnistia/n11/anthrax.jpg

Major Areas of Security Related Research

Animal Pathology and Physiology

• Dipak Sarkar

• Studies to understand endocrine disruption

• Impact of toxic substances and infectious agents on the endocrine system

http://www.iblgroup.com/images/chemicals.jpg

Major Areas of Security Related Research

Plant Biotechnology• Thomas Leustek• Production of

genetically modified plants to produce useful compounds

• Transgenic plants from which the biomass can be harvested and utilized as vaccine (anthrax toxin)

http://homepage2.nifty.com/~yoji/gardening/pictures/brassica_1.jpg

Mosquito Research - 1914

• Wayne Crans• Provides research

based recommendations for responsible mosquito control

• Define risk assessment and mitigation strategies for mosquito borne diseases

Major Areas of Security Related Research

http://www.pharmd.org/thebureau/mosquito.jpg

Responding to A Biological Threat

New Jersey and West Nile Virus1999-2002 NJ had 43 confirmed

human cases of WNV infection and 2 fatalities

2002: 4,156 cases, 284 deaths 2003(9/19): 4,416 cases, 84 deathsNew Jersey

7 cases

1 fatality

Colorado

1,542 cases

27 fatalities

Critical Infrastructure NJ Response to West Nile

VirusNew Jersey Department of Health and

Senior Services

NJ Department of Environmental Protection

NJ Department of Agriculture

Center for Disease Control

State Mosquito Control Commission

Rutgers Mosquito Research Unit

Local Health Departments

Local Mosquito Control Agencies

Service• Survey mosquito

breeding areas• Sorting of mosquito

collections• Submission of

pooled samples for assay (WNV and EEE)

• Annual review of plans and estimates for county agencies

Research

• Wildlife seroprevalence (birds, deer, bear)

• Analysis of historical mosquito population data from county agencies

• Defining NJ mosquito vector ecology (cedar swamps – horse farms)

Sampled

Thank You

Contact Information

Food Science – montville@aesop

Animal Science – sarkar@aesop

Plant Biotechnology – leustek@aesop

Mosquito Research – crans@aesop or puelle@aesop