CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The 11th Annual Conference on New and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases will take place April 17-18 at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana. The goal of the conference hosted by the U. of I. Center for Zoonoses Research is to promote interdisciplinary research efforts and to call attention to the problems that infectious diseases pose locally and around the world.
The public is invited to attend the opening address by Dr. David A. Jessup, a senior wildlife veterinarian for the California Department of Fish and Game Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center. His talk, “The Emergence and Epidemiology of Infectious Disease Threats to Southern Sea Otters,” begins at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, in the auditorium of the Large Animal Clinic. Parking is available after 5 p.m. at 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, in lot F-27.
The conference will continue on Friday, April 18, with eight additional speakers and a poster presentation. Friday’s sessions, all in the Large Animal Clinic auditorium, will include the following presentations:
Kavita Berger, American Association for the Advancement of Science, “Biodefense Policy”
David S. Blehert, U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, “Botulism in Wild Birds and Man’s Best Friend”
Gregory D. Bossart, Florida Atlantic University Harbor branch Oceanographic Institution, “Emerging Diseases in Marine Mammals: So What’s Ailing Flipper?”
Garry T. Cole, University of Texas at San Antonio department of biology, “Molecular Biology of the Fungal Pathogen Coccidioides Immitis”
Vanessa O. Ezenwa, University of Montana, Missoula, “Microparasite-macroparasite Interactions: Worms, TB, and American Buffalo”
W. Ian Lipkin, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, “Pathogen Discovery in Acute and Chronic Diseases”
Juan J. Martinez, University of Chicago department of microbiology, “Surface Cell Antigens and Their Putative Roles in Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Pathogenesis”
Theresa N. Quitugua, National Biosurveillance Integration Center Office of Health Affairs, Department of Homeland Security
Further information on speakers, schedule, scientific poster presentation, and registration is online.
The conference is co-sponsored by the U. of I. College of Medicine; College of Veterinary Medicine; School of Integrative Biology; department of microbiology; department of pathobiology; department of animal biology; Host-Microbe Systems Theme of the Institute for Genomic Biology; National Center for Supercomputing Applications; Program in Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security; and the Conservation Medicine Center of Chicago.
