Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
200 D.W. BROOKS DR
ATHENS,GA 30602-5016
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The "11th International Shiga (Verocytotoxin) Producing Escherichia coli Infections Symposium" (International VTEC Symposium) is a unique scientific conference in the food safety space. This one of a kind conference brings together approximately 400 researchers and clinicians from all the disciplines in VTEC research, industry, and policy makers together in a cloistered environment that encourages cross-disciplinary discussions. This successful meeting has been held every three years since 1991, at locations around the world: Bergamo (Italy), Baltimore, Kyoto (Japan), Edinburgh (UK), Melbourne (Australia), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Boston, and Florence (Italy). This important, trans-disciplinary food safety meeting will be held in Banff, Alberta on 7-10 May 2023. Attendance is expected from at least 15 nations. The overall goal of this meeting is to enhance the safety of the food supply by: 1) calling attention to the impacts of VTEC on human health, and 2) raising the profile of the holistic nature of the VTEC clinical and research picture. These goals will be met through information provided by a mixture of knowledgeable experts on the various facets of VTEC in humans, animals and the food supply. Grant support for the conference will be used solely for US speakers and to support 10 US graduate students to attend and network at this important food safety conference.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
40%
Developmental
10%
Goals / Objectives
The USDA funds provided will be used directly to support the11th International Symposium on Shiga Toxin (Verocytotoxin) Producing Escherichia coli Infections (VTEC 2023) by: 1) foster the training of future VTEC scientists and researchers from the US; and 2) provide support for US based speakers to ensure their ability to attend and serve as invited speakers and to share impacts from USDA-NIFA funded VTEC researchThe individual objectives of the 2023 VTEC conference are:Update industry, academic, clinical, and government stakeholders as to the current status of VTEC research and treatmentsFoster collaborations among industry, academic, clinical, and government stakeholders to identify research needs as indicated by current gaps in knowledge about VTEC in ruminants, the food supply, in epidemiology, and in patient careNourish and establish a multi-disciplinary network of individuals in academia, industry, clinical practice, and government that share the common interest of enhancing the safety of the food supply by the control and/or elimination of VTEC from the food supply.Foster the training of next generation VTEC researchers and scientists to continue the established framework in reducing global disease burden caused by VTEC in foods.
Project Methods
Graduate student/post doctoral researcher scholarships from eligible students will be solicited from those interested by: 1) information on the website about the graduate student stipends; 2) email invitation sent out to all previous attendees and registrants to call their attention to this opportunity on behalf of their students; 3) Email notification of opportunity sent to HBCU and Tribal Colleges with Food Safety Programs; and 4) specific email sent out to the national MANNRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences) chapter email list via the UGA MANNRS advisor to solicit representation from underrepresented groups.Scholarship applications will be due by 15 March 2023 and will be pooled and blinded as to name. The students/post-doctoral researchers will be ranked based on 1) documented need based on application; 2) (need based); 2) research submitted for presentation selected for an oral or poster presentation; 3) membership in an underrepresented group or from a university that has not previously attended VTEC meetings, and 4) Ensuring geographic/discipline/gender diversity from known attendees.