Performing Department
Office of the Dean
Non Technical Summary
This proposal is for support of a dedicated track on Nanobiotechnology approaches for the detection of zoonotic and biothreat agents of farm animals and wildlife at the 16th Biomedical Research Symposium (BMRS) conducted annually in the CVMNAH at Tuskegee University. Funds will be used for travel to bring two keynote speakers and other participants to the meeting who would not otherwise attend, thereby enlarging and enriching the community. Funds will also be used for the venue, i.e., auditorium use fee (Kellogg Conference Center) and the costs related to brochure, flyers, etc.Rapid, selective and sensitive detection technologies for animal pathogens, including zoonotic agents, are critical in clinical diagnosis, disease control, environmental monitoring and food safety. While traditional testing methods are still widely used in veterinary diagnostic laboratories for the detection of infectious agents of farm animals and wildlife, exciting new technologies, such as nanoparticle-based biosensors and PCR-microarray techniques, are being developed. In addition, nanotechnologies, although not yet implemented in veterinary laboratories, hold the promise of screening for numerous pathogens in a single assay. Other biotechnologies are likely to be widely used in the future as they can improve veterinary diagnostic capabilities while reducing the time and perhaps, the costs, associated with conventional technologies. This conference will dwell on some of these new technologies. Although a significant developmental work is still required, nanobiotechnology and its applications hold great promise for improving the speed and accuracy of diagnostics for veterinary pathogens.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
35%
Applied
35%
Developmental
30%
Goals / Objectives
This Conference proposal addresses one of AFRI's priorities within the 2014 Farm Bill, i.e., B. Animal Health and Production and Animal Products - Animal systems and Subpriority IX -Research and development of surveillance methods, vaccines, vaccination delivery systems, or diagnostic tests for pests and diseases (including epizootic diseases in domestic livestock) and zoonotic diseases (including bovine brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis) in domestic livestock or wildlife reservoirs that present a potential concern to public health. The proposal also directly aligns with 2014 USDA REE Action Plan's Goal 1: Local and Global Food Supply and Security. Funds are requested for supporting a scientific session on nanobiotechnology-based strategies for rapid and, sensitive, and cost-effective detection of infectious agents in farm animals and wildlife. This conference will bring together leading experts in veterinary microbiology and immunology, molecular biology, nano-materials and engineering so as to review innovative methodologies for sensing, quantifying, diagnosing infectious agents for rapidly responding to outbreaks of farm animal diseases, the majority of which may be zoonotic. The combination of engineering and biology with a strong focus on the "One Health" concept will be a hallmark of the planned event. To achieve this, investigators will actively involve a large community of participants, and provide an exciting forum to exemplify the intellectual merit of nanobiotechnology in the solution of pressing problems in the U.S. animal agriculture. The funding from this proposal will support registration fees for 20 student participants at $25.00 each, plus provide funding for student awards (oral and poster presentations), support invited keynote speakers, breaks, venue charges, materials, etc.
Project Methods
The funding from this proposal will support registration fees for student participants, provide funding for student awards (oral and poster presentations), support invited keynote speakers, conference venue, breaks, flyers and brochure.Proposed program will include two keynote speakers who are nationally and internationally recognized in the field of nanobiotechnology. A preliminary draft agenda is attached. At this time we are consulting with the following two scientists and other scientists in the region involved in nanobiotechnology research to prepare an agenda for our conference.The method of announcement or invitation that will be used.Webpage, flyers, Brochure, personal invitations, E-mails, posting on websites of:Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD), Chicago, ILAmerican College of Veterinary Microbiologists (ACVM)American Association of Veterinary immunologists (AAVI)Other appropriate avenuesBoth the webpage and flyers will describe the theme of the conference, names of invited speakers, deadline for submission of abstracts for oral and poster presentations, registration fee waiver for twenty deserving students. The organizing committee will screen the abstracts for oral and poster presentation for scientific content, appropriateness for the proposed conference.Appropriateness of invited speakers to topic areas being covered Two keynote speakers who are conducting aggressive research in the area of nanobiotechnology based diagnostics will be invited. Other invited speakers will be from Industry and government including USDA and FDA that are involved in the proposed areas for discussion.