Food-borne Infectious Disease Unit

Professors-in-charge: Drs. Don Reynolds and Lisa Nolan

The goal of this unit is to eliminate human pathogens from animals and their products. Research is being conducted to elucidate the mechanisms for establishing and sustaining the animal carrier-shedder state for human pathogens. An important objective of this unit is to develop rapid diagnostic assays and methods for the detection of pathogens. The unit also identifies and characterizes mechanisms of disease progression and the virulence factors of microorganisms that are associated with food contamination. Studies on the pathogenesis of microbial disease incorporate molecular biologic analyses to define the genetic basis for infectious processes. A major emphasis is on using microbial genomics to identify organisms with unique genetic sequences. Data to quantify times, extent, magnitude and persistence of infectious agents in the animal and its environment will lead to better risk assessment for preventive medicine and public health management. Affiliated faculty and their expertise areas are: