Oklahoma State University - Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center
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Research Symposium to be held April 19
STILLWATER, Okla. – The Oklahoma Food and Agricultural Products Research and Technology Center will be hosting its 3rd Research Symposium on April 19, 2004. The symposium will highlight food and agricultural products research conducted by Center researchers as well as other Oklahoma State University researchers.
Peter Muriana, food microbiologist at the Center and chair of the symposium, said the event will include approximately eight oral presentations and 25 poster presentations.
“The event is to be a semi-formal gathering of those involved with foods and agricultural products research,” Muriana said. “The event will provide an opportunity for graduate students and staff to make presentations of their work, to familiarize others in this field with what is being done in other labs and possibly foster future collaborations among colleagues.”
A special feature of the Research Symposium is a presentation by a keynote speaker. This year’s keynote speaker is Juergen Richt, a veterinary medical officer with the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, IA. NADC is an arm of the Agricultural Research Service and is the major USDA center for research on livestock and poultry diseases.
Richt’s research areas include virus and prion diseases of livestock. His lab received the sole animal that was diagnosed with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy from the state of Washington.
Richt will discuss events surrounding the recent occurrence of BSE in the USA during December 2003, the workup that went into the diagnostic testing and details surrounding the acquisition of the animal(s) from Canadian sources.
Since that time, 704 animals were depopulated from the state of Washington and surrounding areas and of 255 samples taken, none were positive for BSE. APHIS has focused on 25 of the 81 animals born into the birth herd of the indexed animal and has so far located 14 of these.
“The occurrence of BSE in the USA would have far reaching consequences in regard to cattle, the meat industry and cattle-derived byproducts, including bovine serum albumin, which is widely used in non-food products,” Muriana said. “We are glad to have Dr. Richt provide an update on this event and his current research in this area that is of vital importance to a main economic commodity of Oklahoma.”
The Research Symposium is open to anyone who has interest in listening to the keynote speaker, and participants are encouraged to attend the accompanying research presentations. Registration is free but is required to obtain a head count for seating capacity.
To register, call Cecilia Brewer at (405) 744-6071 or register online at www.fapc.okstate.edu. For additional information on the symposium visit http://fp.okstate.edu/muriana/fapcrs or contact Peter Muriana at (405) 744-5563 or muriana@okstate.edu.
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CONTACT:
Peter Muriana
Food Microbiologist
Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center
148 FAPC
Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405-744-6071
Fax: 405-744-6313
E-Mail: peter.muriana@okstate.edu
Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments Cooperating. The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.
