USDA ARS 8th International
Biosafety & Biocontainment Symposium:
Addressing Agricultural Biorisk
February 11 – 13, 2025
Symposium Program
(all times Eastern Time Zone)
Monday, February 10, 2025
6:00 – 7:30 pm Opening Reception
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
7:00 – 5:00 pm Registration
9:00 am – 4:00 pm Exhibits
8:00 – 8:10 am USDA Welcome
Jeff Silverstein, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
8:10 – 8:15 am ABSA Welcome
Sherry Bohn, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), MSL, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
Sherry Bohn, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), MSL
University of Maryland—Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
Dr. Bohn is a microbiologist with over seventeen years’ experience managing biorisk and general safety at private, federal, and academic institutions. With degrees in molecular biology, communication, and law, she offers a unique perspective on the research compliance landscape. She is currently the Executive Director of Environmental, Health and Safety at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and President of ABSA International.
Session I: Keynote Speaker
Moderators:
Joseph Kozlovac, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Aurelia Berisha, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
8:15 – 9:00 am Plant Health Meets Forensic Science: Blending Disciplines to Strengthen Agricultural Biosecurity
Jacqueline Fletcher, PhD, Oklahoma State University, Corrales, NM
9:00 – 9:15 am Q&A Session
Jacqueline Fletcher, PhDOklahoma State University
Corrales, NM
Dr. Fletcher received a BS in Biology from Emory University, MS in Botany from the University of Montana, and PhD in Plant Pathology from Texas A&M. She is internationally recognized for her research on mechanisms of virulence and insect transmission of plant pathogenic bacteria; the relationships between human pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, and plants; and the emerging disciplines of microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity. She established and served as Director of the National Institute for Microbial Forensics & Food and Agricultural Biosecurity (NIMFFAB; now the Institute for Biosecurity & Microbial Forensics), a multidisciplinary OSU initiative that addresses high priority national issues in plant pathogen forensics, crop biosecurity and food safety. Dr. Fletcher also served on the American Phytopathological Society’s governing Council, including as President. In the months following September 11, 2001, she led APS responses and input to National biosecurity initiatives. She organized and chaired both the APS Microbial Forensics Working Group and the APS Food Safety Working Group. She served as a member of the Forum on Microbial Threats at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and remains active on several federal biosecurity advisory panels including the National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity. Dr. Fletcher was named a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society in 2005 and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2007. After retirement from OSU in 2015 she now serves as a consultant and advocate for agricultural biosecurity and international scientific diplomacy.
Session II: State of Applied Biosafety
Moderators:
Steven Moeller, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Anne-Sophie Brocard, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Manassas, VA
9:15-9:30am Towards a Theory of Pandemic Proof PPE
Adam Fleming, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), Deloitte Consulting LLP, Washington, DC
9:30 – 9:45 am Findings and Recommendations of the RAV3N Applied Biorisk and Biosafety Gap Assessment Workshop
Kurt Zuelke, PhD, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
9:45 – 10:00 am Novel Bioaerosol Collection and Detection Technologies in Agricultural Applications
Maria King, PhD, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
10:00 – 10:15 am Preparedness for Emergency Management of a Foreign Animal Disease Introduction in Feral Swine
Kimberly Pepin, PhD, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO
10:15 – 10:45 am Q&A Session
Adam Fleming, PhD, CBSP(ABSA)
Deloitte Consulting LLP
Washington, DC
Dr. Adam Fleming is a Senior Consultant at Deloitte serving as a subject matter expert in Biorisk Management and high containment laboratory safety and security. He was one of two lead authors of the revision of the WHO Global Action Plan for Poliovirus Containment, GAPIV, and has designed and delivered biorisk management capacity building trainings and workshops to a variety of audiences and experience levels in low- and middle-income countries worldwide. Prior to his work in Biorisk Management he spent 7 years as a bacterial pathogen researcher and molecular biologist. Dr. Fleming has a PhD in microbiology and infectious diseases, with experience working in BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratories as both a researcher and as a biorisk management professional. He is a Certified Biosafety Professional with ABSA International.
Kurt Zuelke, PhD
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
Dr. Kurt Zuelke is the inaugural Executive Director of the Texas A&M University Global Health Research Complex (GHRC), and the Founder of the RAV3N Network. Dr. Zuelke formerly directed the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, and the USDA ARS National Animal Disease Center. Dr. Zuelke received a BS in Animal Science from the University of Wisconsin—River Falls, a DVM from the University of Minnesota, and a PhD in Physiology from the University of Georgia. He has maintained career-long research and science policy interests in agriculture, comparative medicine, genomics, biotechnology, global health and biosecurity, biocontainment engineering and the ecology of emerging infectious zoonotic diseases.
Maria King, PhDTexas A&M University
College Station, TX
Dr. Maria King received her BS degree in Biological and Chemical Engineering and MS in Biochemistry and Food Technology at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. She completed her PhD studies in Biotechnology and Chemistry at the Academy of Sciences in Berlin, in collaboration with the Budapest University of Technology. Dr. King is an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Agricultural Air Quality Engineering and Science (CAAQES) – Aerosol Technology Laboratory (ATL) at the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Texas A&M University with over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, three book chapters, two patents and numerous conference presentations. She has extensive expertise in the collection and microbial-molecular analysis of aerosolized bioparticles, radionuclides, and nanoparticles, combined with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) airflow modeling using the ANSYS Fluent program and particle image velocimetry (PIV) to visualize and mitigate pathogen movement in ventilated spaces. Her team is applying biolayer interferometry and molecular dynamics design to analyze protein interactions in the development of antibiotic resistance, Illumina sequencing to delineate the composition of the collected microbiomes and mass spectrometry with liquid or gas chromatography to identify volatile aerosols. She holds a patent in the development of bacterial biosensors.
Kimberly Pepin, PhDNational Wildlife Research Center
Fort Collins, CO
Dr. Kimberly Pepin is a disease ecologist at the National Wildlife Research Center (USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services). She develops research and technology for assisting the evaluation and implementation of wildlife damage and disease management programs – especially for diseases at the wildlife-livestock and wildlife-human interfaces. Her research is operationally focused and includes topics such as wildlife disease surveillance design, implementation, and reporting; methods and tools for disease risk assessment and emergency management preparedness; evaluation of control strategies; and data science solutions for predicting wildlife disease dynamics in space and time. Example systems include African swine fever virus in feral swine, influenza A in feral swine and other wildlife species, bovine TB at the deer-cattle interface, rabies virus in raccoons, chronic wasting disease in cervid species, and SARS-CoV-2 in cervids and other mammals. She is a co-author on more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and 5 book chapters and collaborates closely with decision-makers on policy development for emergency management strategies in wildlife.
10:45 – 11:15 am Exhibits, Posters, and Break
Session III Risk Communication and Safety Culture
Moderators:
Jim Welch, Elizabeth R. Griffin Program, Washington, DC
Heather Fowler, PhD, National Pork Board, Westampton, NJ
11:15 – 11:30 am Creating a Culture of Safety Through High-Reliability Organization (HRO) Principles
Alfonso Clavijo, DVM, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS
11:30 – 11:45 am Enhancing Capacity Building and Training in West Africa to the BSL-4
Krystle Hensley, MPHTM, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS
11:45 – 12:00 pm Safety Culture in Practice: Navigating Gaps in Biosafety Guidance for Body Piercings
Devin Boyles, MS, MRIGlobal, Ambridge, PA
12:00 – 12:15 pm Q&A Session
Alfonso Clavijo, DVM, PhDUSDA Agricultural Research Service
Manhattan, KS
Dr. Alfonso Clavijo is currently the National Bio and Agro‐Defense Facility (NBAF) Director in Manhattan, KS. Before moving to Manhattan, Dr. Clavijo worked for the National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases in Winnipeg, Canada where he took several positions, including Head of Diagnostic Virology, head of Vesicular Diseases and more recently Laboratory Executive Director. He also worked for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Brazil as advisor for diagnosis, surveillance and control of zoonoses and emerging diseases. Dr. Clavijo worked at Texas A&M University as Senior Science Advisor for the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD) and Associate Director for Scientific Programs at the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL).
Krystle Hensley, MPHTM
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Manhattan, KS
Krystle Hensley is the BSL-4 Manager at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), a critical facility within the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA. In this role, she helps facilitate the standup of the BSL-4 program and maximum containment research related to zoonotic and emerging diseases and agricultural threats. Prior to joining NBAF she worked at the Integrated Research Facility – NIAID supporting international programs and clinical trials, as well as establishing laboratory capacity in West Africa. She holds a Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine from Tulane University and has experience in BSL-3 and BSL-4 research laboratories. Krystle is dedicated to advancing knowledge and contributing to cutting-edge scientific efforts to protect against emerging infectious diseases and biological threats.
Devin Boyles, MSMRIGlobal
Ambridge, PA
Devin Boyles is a staff scientist at the non-profit research organization, MRIGlobal. As a member of the Biosafety and Global Engagement team, she specializes in biorisk management consulting and the development and delivery of laboratory biosafety training programs. Previously, she performed research on high-risk pathogens at the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Vaccine Research and Regional Biocontainment Laboratory. Devin holds an MS in Environmental and Occupational Health and a certification in Public Health (CPH).
12:15 – 1:15 pm Exhibits, Posters, and Lunch
Session IV: Occ Health Intersection with Agriculture
Moderators:
Steven Moeller, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Kurt Zuelke, PhD, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
1:15 – 1:30 pm Animal Husbandry Practices and Changing Societal Expectations: A One Welfare Conundrum
Tom Parsons, VMD, PhD, DACAW, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
1:30 – 1:45 pm Navigating Prescription Platform Vaccine Licensure, Production, and Use
Jessica Zweibahmer, MS, Medgene, Brookings, SD
1:45 – 2:00 pm Emerging Risks for Agricultural Extension Workers: Protecting Health in a Changing Climate
Marianne Cloeren, MD, MPH, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
2:00 – 2:15 pm Q&A Session
Tom Parsons, VMD, PhD, DACAW,University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Parsons is the Marie A. Moore Endowed Chair in Animal Welfare and Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania School Veterinary Medicine. He is also the director of Penn Vet’s Swine Teaching and Research Center and is heading the development of a new Center for Stewardship Agriculture and Food Security. His work focuses on advancing sustainable models of agriculture through the study of animal behavior, health, welfare and applications of technology. Tom’s interest in agriculture is longstanding as he was raised on a family farm in western Massachusetts where his nephew, Christopher, is the 10th generation of Parsons to work land deeded from King George of England. As a faculty member at Penn Vet, Dr. Parsons has built one of the largest research groups working on farm animal welfare in North America. Parsons is a charter diplomat of American College of Animal Welfare, sits on numerous corporate and non-profit welfare advisory board, and has received awards from the New York Farmers for distinguished service to agriculture and from the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association for animal welfare advocacy. Dr. Parsons has extensive experience as an educator, a consultant, and as an individual who has devoted his life to helping farmers retain their competitiveness by evolving into more socially acceptable models of agriculture. He has helped nearly 100 farms (>200,000 sows) transition from gestation crates to pen-based group housing systems. His work includes designing the facilities, training the staff in new husbandry practices, and establishing benchmarks and milestones on the farms to help track their progress in adapting these new management approaches. He has consulted on farms large and small across the globe including North and South America, Europe and extensively in Southeast Asia.
Jessica Zweibahmer, MS
Medgene
Brookings, SD
Jessica Zweibahmer joined Medgene Labs in 2013 and has filled many roles in this time. Starting with managing the lab and projects, her role quickly evolved into many areas. She oversaw the design and construction of our two production facilities from 2015-2018. From there, Medgene started to grow rapidly, and she played a major role in expanding the team to over 60 today. She initiated the Production and Quality Control systems, as well as assisted with the start-up of the Quality Assurance program. Currently, Jessica leads the Constructs and Process Development team to develop new constructs which feed into our Prescription Platform products, as well as process improvement projects. Prior to joining Medgene, she spent 8 years with a Biotech startup in Sioux Falls, SD as a Microbiologist in their Molecular Genetics group, with a focus on establishing transgenic cattle for human therapeutics. She started her path in Molecular Biology while a Microbiologist in the Molecular Diagnostics section at South Dakota State University’s Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, after graduating from SDSU with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology.
Marianne Cloeren, MD, MPH
University of Maryland—Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
Dr. Marianne Cloeren, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine is board-certified in Occupational Medicine and Internal Medicine. She provides occupational medicine services to the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s large community of researchers and provides occupational health consulting services to University of Maryland, College Park. She recently founded and coordinates an online forum for occupational health providers and biosafety professionals in academic settings.
2:15 – 2:45 pm Exhibits, Posters, and Break
Session V: Practical Applied Biorisk/Agricultural Biosecurity
Moderators:
Kenneth Shenge, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Heather Fowler, PhD, National Pork Board, Westampton, NJ
2:45 – 3:05 pm On-farm Influenza Investigations to Improve Biosecurity Practices in Swine Farms
Montserrat Torremorell, DVM, PhD, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
3:05 – 3:25 pm Strengthening Biosecurity for Disease Prevention and Control
Lisa Becton, DVM, DACVPM, Swine Health Information Center, Manhattan, KS
3:25 – 3:45 pm Not All Disinfectants are Created Equal: The Uncommon Challenges of Plant Pathogen Decontamination
Diana Sherman, BS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Frederick, MD
3:45 – 4:05 pm The Contribution of Chemical and Mechanical Procedures on the Removal of Non-enveloped Viruses from Hair
Maria Cajimat, PhD, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX
4:05 – 4:30 pm Q&A Session
Montserrat Torremorell, DVM, PhD
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN
Dr. Montserrat Torremorell is Professor and Chair of the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. She earned her DVM degree from the University Autonomous of Barcelona in 1994 and her PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1999. Dr. Torremorell joined the University of Minnesota as the Leman Chair in Swine Health and Productivity in May 2009. Prior to that, she was employed at Genus/PIC, the largest swine breeding company in the world, where she led the efforts in PRRSV elimination and conducted research, technical support and served in the company management’s team. Dr. Torremorell has an extensive background in swine health, research, and production systems, including health improvement strategies, disease eradication, diagnostics, biosecurity programs, and health genomics. Dr. Torremorell currently conducts research of economically significant swine diseases focusing on the transmission, control and elimination of influenza and PRRS infections in pigs. She also researches biosecurity technologies with applicability to prevent and mitigate airborne infections in pigs. Her research impacts animal disease control programs, public health and food security. She teaches Veterinary Medicine to both DVM and graduate students and is passionate about helping producers and veterinarians to apply science to control diseases. She is former director of the Swine Disease Eradication Center and serves as the chair of the planning committee for the A.D Leman Swine Conference. Dr. Torremorell is the author of more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles, 14 book chapters and more than 400 abstracts and articles in conference proceedings. In 2003, Dr. Torremorell was awarded the Allen D. Leman Science In Practice Award from the University of Minnesota for her work on PRRS elimination. Since she joined Academia, in 2014 she received the Mark of Excellence in Research award, in 2016 she was recognized with the Outstanding Graduate Student Advising and Teaching Award, and in 2017 she received the prestigious Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. More recently, in 2022 she received the first Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year Award, a recognition by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.
Lisa Becton, DVM, DACVPM
Swine Health Information Center
Manhattan, KS
Dr. Becton is the associate director for the Swine Health Information Center. She received her DVM from North Carolina State University, a MS in Food Safety from Michigan State University and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine since 2013. Additional training includes the Swine Veterinary Executive Program from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician training at Plum Island. Her current focus is on SHIC’s core mission to protect and enhance the health of the U.S. swine herd by minimizing the impact of emerging disease threats. Activities include targeted disease research, support of swine health monitoring programs and analysis of swine health data. Dr. Becton served as director of swine health for the National Pork Board for 15+ years with a focus on biosecurity, research, and swine health. Prior to her time with the Pork Board, Dr. Becton spent 14 years working as staff veterinarian for two different integrated pork production companies managing swine health, biosecurity, and transportation issues.
Diana Sherman, BS
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Frederick, MD
Diana Sherman is a Facilities Operations Specialist and has worked for USDA-ARS Foreign Disease/Weed Science Research Unit since 2001. She currently supports all facility and operational aspects from buildings to equipment, supporting and strengthening the research capabilities at the location. Her expertise includes managing multiple facilities for plant pathogen high containment which include greenhouses, laboratories, and insectaries. Previously, she worked as a Support Scientist for the Insect Vectored Pathogen project, research included the interactions between virus pathogen, plant and insect vector. She also worked on novel detection systems for the identification of known and unknown pathogens.
Maria Cajimat, PhD
University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, TX
Dr. Maria Cajimat is a Research Scientist in the Galveston National Laboratory at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston. Her research interests include development of animal models to study the pathogenesis of rodent-borne viruses, ecology of arenaviruses and hantaviruses, and development of therapeutics for emerging zoonotic viruses. She is currently involved in production and maintenance of viruses and reagents for the GNL BSL-4 collection, training scientists in the GNL high containment laboratories, efficacy testing of antivirals against hantaviruses, and developing inactivation procedures for high containment pathogens. She received her BS in Molecular Biology from the University of the Philippines and PhD training in Virology from the University of Texas Medical Branch.
4:30 – 4:50 pm
Special Session: Addressing Agricultural Biorisk Evidence Based Gaps with Applied Research
Erin Sorrell, PhD, Elizabeth R. Griffin Program, Washington, DC
4:50 – 5:00 pm Q&A Session
Erin Sorrell, PhD
Elizabeth R. Griffin Program
Washington, DC
Erin M. Sorrell, PhD, MSc is a Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also serves as the Director of the Elizabeth R. Griffin Program at the Center for Health Security. For over a decade Dr. Sorrell has applied her technical laboratory training in virology and experience in government to contribute to global health security as a practitioner and an academic. Her current research portfolio combines the disciplines of basic science, biosafety and one health systems strengthening to address infectious disease threats whether they be novel, emerging or re-emerging. Her work focuses on developing and applying a variety of methodologies to map, assess, and address both the structure and function of one health systems in collaboration with partners across government ministries, international organizations, and academia. She received a BS in Animal Science from Cornell University and a MSc and PhD in Virology from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
7:00 – 5:00 pm Registration
9:00 am – 3:30 pm Vendor Exhibits
Session VI: High-Path Influenza: Coordination of Global Response
Moderators:
Anne-Sophie Brocard, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Manassas, VA
Kurt Zuelke, PhD, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
8:00 – 8:30 am Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza: Global Response, International Perspective and Challenges
Conrad Estrada, DVM, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Brussels, Belgium
8:30 – 8:45 am Veterinary Services Perspective on HPAI and the Coordination of Global Efforts
Conrad Estrada, DVM, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Brussels, Belgium
8:45 – 9:00 am Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Cattle: Diagnostic and Regulatory Features
Tom Cecere, DVM, PhD, Virginia College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA
9:00 – 9:30 am Q&A Session
Conrad Estrada, DVM
U. S. Department of Agriculture
Brussels, Belgium
Dr. Conrad Estrada is a career diplomat in the U.S. Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Counselor currently serving as the USDA APHIS Regional Manager for the Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia Region. He manages sanitary and phytosanitary aspects of agricultural trade, safeguarding, and technical cooperation activities in EAME region. Previous assignments include Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico, and Washington DC. Dr. Estrada received the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2002 at the School of Veterinary Medicine of the Universidad Alas Peruanas in Lima, Peru. In 2005, he graduated from the University of California, Davis with the degree of Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine. He’s also a Senior Executive Fellows Program graduate from the Harvard Kennedy School, and an Honorary Diplomate of the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society.
Tom Cecere, DVM, PhD
Virginia College of Veterinary Medicine
Blacksburg, VA
Dr. Thomas E. Cecere is an associate professor of pathology in the Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology in the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. Cecere received his DVM from the VMCVM, completed a residency in anatomic pathology and Master of Specialized Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University, and received his PhD in viral immunology from Virginia Tech. His research and professional interests include diagnostic pathology, electron microscopy, infectious disease in food animal species, and teaching. Cecere is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and is a member of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians and the Davis-
Session VII: High-Path Influenza: Priority Research Update
Moderators:
Kenneth Shenge, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Roxann Motroni, DVM, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
9:30 – 9:45 am Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Dairy Cattle: Research Update
Karyn Havas, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
9:45 – 10:00 am Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Raw Milk, Farm Waste, and Unpasteurized Food
Erica Spackman, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Athens, GA
10:00 – 10:15 am If Avian Influenza Virus Were Found In Raw (Ground) Beef – Would Cooking Kill it?
John Luchansky, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wyndmoor, PA
10:15 – 10:30 am Q&A Session
Karyn Havas, PhD
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Beltsville, MD
Dr. Havas graduated from Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. She joined the Army immediately after graduation and rose to the rank of Major before retiring in 2014. During her service, she provided medical care to working dogs, contributed to the food safety mission, contributed to capacity building efforts, and led teams that managed and developed health surveillance systems in the United States and Iraq. She also earned her PhD in epidemiology at Colorado State University (2011). In 2011, she earned her Diplomat status in the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and in 2012 added the epidemiology specialty. From 2014 to 2017, Karyn took a position at the Diagnostic Service Section at the Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Plum Island Animal Disease Center, where she led a team that provided confirmatory diagnostics for foreign animal diseases, validated new assays and current assays with new reagents or equipment, and assisted in laboratory capacity building in numerous countries. In 2017, she joined the faculty at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine to stand up a Master of Public Health program as the Section Chief for Infectious Disease Epidemiology. She also conducted research on swine brucellosis and biosecurity and African swine fever (ASF). During this time, she also completed her master’s in applied economics from Purdue University. In 2019 she joined Pipestone Research to support swine producers through research on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, ASF, biosecurity, and antimicrobial resistance. Today she is a National Program Leader in Animal Health for the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service.
Erica Spackman, PhD
U.S, Department of Agriculture
Athens, GA
Dr. Erica Spackman is a Distinguished Senior Research Scientist with the Exotic and Emerging Avian Viral Diseases unit at the U.S. National Poultry Research Center, USDA-Agricultural Research Service. She has edited a book, Animal influenza virus, and has authored or co-authored 27 book chapters and over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers. She is a member of the American Association of Avian Pathologists and the American Biological Safety Association. Her current research focuses on avian influenza virus and includes research projects on vaccines, diagnostics, virus pathobiology, farm biosecurity, and food safety, all with the ultimate goal of developing practical approaches to preventing, responding to and recovering from avian influenza outbreaks.
John Luchansky, PhDU.S. Department of Agriculture
Wyndmoor, PA
Dr. John B. Luchansky is a Lead Scientist with the USDA ARS in Wyndmoor, PA. John has authored over 175 peer-reviewed papers, 125 other publications, 280 abstracts, and 10 U.S. patents/licenses. He has mentored nearly 100 students and hosted 50 visiting scientists. John has served as a Reviewer, Subject Matter Expert, Councilor, Chair, and/or Executive Committee member for several professional organizations such as ASM, IFT, IAFP, PTS, ADSA, AMI, NCBA, and/or Natl. Pork Board. John and collaborators have generated a series of groundbreaking publications and technologies used by industry to enhance the safety of their products and by regulators to make science-based policy decisions that have appreciably benefitted the health and wellbeing of consumers worldwide.
10:30 – 11:00 am Exhibits, Posters, and Break
Session VIII: High-Path Influenza: Roundtable Discussion
Moderators:
Roxann Motroni, DVM, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Kurt Zuelke, PhD, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
11:00 – 12:00 pm Panelists
Koren Custer, DVM, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
Erica Spackman, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Athens, GA
Jaekeun Park, DVM, PhD, University of Maryland—College Park, MD
Koren Custer, DVM
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Washington, DC
Dr. Koren Custer previously served as the Associate Deputy Administrator for the Strategy & Policy unit of USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services. In this capacity she oversaw VS’ trade teams and the national livestock commodity units, among other groups which drive VS’ strategy and policy. Dr. Custer graduated from the University of Georgia with both a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine and a Masters of Public Health. Immediately upon graduation, Koren returned to her home state to work with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture as the Assistant State Veterinarian. From there, she joined Veterinary Services (VS) in 2014 as a field Veterinary Medical Officer in Georgia. Since then, she has also held the positions of Field Epidemiology Officer in Florida, Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC) of the six New England states, the Assistant Director for Swine Health with S&P’s Aquaculture, Swine, Equine and Poultry Health Center, and District 1 Director with Field Operations. Dr. Custer served as the first National Incident Coordinator for the highly pathogenic avian influenza response in poultry from February through September 2022. Koren and her husband, Matt, have two children: Logan (7) and MJ (3). They currently reside near Washington, D.C.
Erica Spackman, PhD
U.S, Department of Agriculture
Athens, GA
Dr. Erica Spackman is a Distinguished Senior Research Scientist with the Exotic and Emerging Avian Viral Diseases unit at the U.S. National Poultry Research Center, USDA-Agricultural Research Service. She has edited a book, Animal influenza virus, and has authored or co-authored 27 book chapters and over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers. She is a member of the American Association of Avian Pathologists and the American Biological Safety Association. Her current research focuses on avian influenza virus and includes research projects on vaccines, diagnostics, virus pathobiology, farm biosecurity, and food safety, all with the ultimate goal of developing practical approaches to preventing, responding to and recovering from avian influenza outbreaks.
Jaekeun Park, DVM, PhD
University of Maryland—College Park
College Park, MD
Jaekeun Park, DVM, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Park earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2010 from Konkuk University in South Korea, where he also completed his PhD in Veterinary Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in 2014 under the mentorship of Dr. Chang-Seon Song. In 2015, Dr. Park joined the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger’s group. He established his independent research laboratory at the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2022. Dr. Park’s research focuses on understanding and combating highly consequential human, animal, and zoonotic viruses, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV), virulent Newcastle disease viruses, and the 1918 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus. His work also emphasizes vaccine development to protect against these pathogens. Currently, his research aims to identify cellular immune components that can provide broad protection against antigenically diverse influenza viruses, with the goal of advancing vaccine strategies for both humans and animals.
12:00 – 1:00 pm Exhibits, Posters, and Lunch
Session IX: Emergency Preparedness Response
Moderators:
Joseph Kozlovac, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Matthew Fischer, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
1:00 – 1:25 pm Triggers, Tripwires, and Notifications (recording not available)
Stephen Goldsmith, DVM, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC
1:25 – 1:50 pm Combining Science and Action in Fully Functional Emergency Preparedness Exercises
Margherite Tan, MS, National Pork Board, Flagstaff, AZ
1:50 – 2:00 pm Q&A Session
Margherite Tan, MS
National Pork Board
Flagstaff, AZ
Marguerite Tan is the Director of Environmental Programs at the National Pork Board. At the National Pork Board, Marguerite’s responsibilities include environmental, sustainability, facility, and animal disease programs and research. With a background in environmental and agricultural engineering, Marguerite has extensive experience managing farm operations and developing implementable solutions to challenges.
2:00 – 2:45 pm Exhibits, Posters, and Break
Session X: Training and Workforce Development
Moderators:
Jim Welch, Elizabeth R. Griffin Program, Washington, DC
Sherry Bohn, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), MSL, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
2:45 – 3:15 pm BSL-2 and BSL-3 Laboratory Safety Training at K-State Biosecurity Research Institute
Dana Vanlandingham, PhD, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Virtual Reality Outbreaks: Accessing the Inaccessible
Stephanie Gaddam, DVM, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Greenbelt, MD
The Biorisk Management Certificate Program: Preparing Professionals for the Next Generation
Tracey Cekada, PhD, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA
3:15 – 3:30 pm Lessons Learned from a Decade of Global Biorisk Management Human Capacity Development
LouAnn Burnett, MS, CBSP(ABSA), Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
3:30 – 3:45 pm Q&A Session
Dana Vanlandingham, PhD
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
Dana Vanlandingham is a Professor in Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology and Interim Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Programs in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the director of the Arthropod Containment Level 1 and 3 Insectaries in the Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State University. Her research focuses on zoonotic arboviruses of medical importance which require high containment facilities where she studies vaccine development, diagnostics, and virus/vector/vertebrate interactions. Dr. Vanlandingham earned her PhD from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society.
Stephanie Gaddam, DVM, MPHU.S. Department of Agriculture
Greenbelt, MD
Stephanie Gaddam is currently the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Coordinator in the Office of National Programs at USDA ARS, where she tracks and coordinates AMR research and serves as a liaison on interagency working groups related to AMR and One Health. Stephanie graduated from the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018, then worked as a general practice veterinarian for two years before completing a Master of Public Health degree at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She then worked as a Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian in the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service for two years, where she was a patrol veterinarian covering multiple meat and poultry establishments. Stephanie is enthusiastic about finding solutions for food safety and animal health challenges. In her downtime, she enjoys making pottery, crocheting, and relaxing with her partner and two dogs.
Tracey Cekada, PhDIndiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA
Tracey Cekada, ScD, CSP, is a Professor and Department Chair in the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). She joined IUP in Fall 2005. She completed her MS in Environmental Science and Policy from The Johns Hopkins University and her DSc in Information Systems and Communications from Robert Morris University. Dr. Cekada is a professional member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and in 2016 she was the recipient of the nationally recognized Dr. William E. Tarrants Outstanding Safety Educator Award. In 2011, Dr. Cekada was recognized and honored as one of the “100 Women Making a Difference in the Safety, Health and Environmental Profession” book published by the American Society of Safety Engineers.
LouAnn Burnett, MS, CBSP(ABSA)Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, NM
LouAnn Burnett, MS, CBSP (ABSA) is a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff at the Global Chemical and Biological Security (GCBS) Program at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Prior to coming to Sandia in 2010, she spent 17 years as a university biosafety program manager. LouAnn’s work at Sandia focuses on strengthening biorisk management systems globally and building human capacity to support biorisk-informed decision-making. She leads Sandia’s global biorisk management training team and has designed and delivered training in 23 countries. LouAnn is a twice-Past President of ABSA International (2012; 2022). In 2003, LouAnn received the ABSA Everett Hanel, Jr. Presidential award, awarded for excellence in promoting the field of biosafety. In 2012, LouAnn was selected as an Outstanding Women at Sandia and was honored in 2019 with a Sandia Employee Recognition Award for her work in mentoring trainers. LouAnn serves on the Senior Council for Sandia’s Center for Global Security and Cooperation.
Session XI: Regulatory Updates
Moderator:
Kenneth Shenge, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Roxann Motroni, DVM, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
3:45 – 4:05 pm Dual-use Research in 2025
Gigi Kwik Gronvall, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
4:05 – 4:25 pm Overview of U.S. Government Policies on Gene Synthesis Security
Gigi Kwik Gronvall, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
4:25 – 4:45 pm Export Controls for Plant Pathogens
Kimberly Orr, DVM, PhD, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC
4:45 – 5:00 pm Q&A Session
Gigi Kwik Gronvall, PhD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Baltimore, MD
Gigi Kwik Gronvall, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Dr. Gronvall is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. She is an immunologist by training. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the Center’s ongoing efforts to track the development and marketing of diagnostic tests. She leads work on improving indoor air quality to reduce pathogen transmission, including guidance for K-12 schools and the development of a Model State Indoor Air Quality Act. She also has written about the scientific response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the contested origin of SARS-CoV-2, and the implications for national and international security. Dr. Gronvall is the author of Synthetic Biology: Safety, Security, and Promise. In the book, she describes what can be done to minimize technical and social risks and maximize the benefits of synthetic biology, focusing on biosecurity, biosafety, ethics, and US national competitiveness—important sectors of national security. Dr. Gronvall is a member of the Department of State’s International Security Advisory Board; NIH’s Novel and Exceptional Technology and Research Advisory Committee (NExTRAC); and the National Academies’ Forum on Microbial Threats.
Kimberly Orr, DVM, PhDU.S. Department of Commerce
Washington, DC
Kimberly Orr is the senior biological licensing officer in the Chemical and Biological Controls Division of the Bureau of Industry and Security. She holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine and a PhD in pathobiology, and most recently a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School. She is board certified in Veterinary Preventive Medicine and is a past president of the Epidemiology Specialty of the American College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to processing licenses for biological pathogens such as anthrax, she provides technical assistance in interpreting, applying and reforming export regulations while representing her agency in various meetings. She has been with the Department of Commerce since 2004. Dr. Orr was a Fulbright Student to Denmark and a National Security Education Program Fellow to Japan and served in the United States Army Veterinary Corps. When not trying to prevent the next pandemic, Dr. Orr can be found at Audi Field watching DC United or Washington Spirit soccer, at home with her cat and dog, or in Tennessee spoiling her nieces.
5:30 – 7:00 pm Networking and Poster Reception
Thursday, February 13, 2025
7:00 – 12:00 pm Registration
8:00 – 8:10 am Announcement of Poster Awards
Joseph Kozlovac, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Session XII: Keynote Speaker
Moderators: Anne-Sophie Brocard, PhD, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), Manassas, VA
Joseph Kozlovac, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
8:10 – 8:55 am Overview of Animal Health Emergency Response
Koren Custer, DVM, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
8:55 – 9:10 am Q&A Session
Koren Custer, DVM
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Washington, DC
Dr. Koren Custer previously served as the Associate Deputy Administrator for the Strategy & Policy unit of USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services. In this capacity she oversaw VS’ trade teams and the national livestock commodity units, among other groups which drive VS’ strategy and policy. Dr. Custer graduated from the University of Georgia with both a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine and a Masters of Public Health. Immediately upon graduation, Koren returned to her home state to work with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture as the Assistant State Veterinarian. From there, she joined Veterinary Services (VS) in 2014 as a field Veterinary Medical Officer in Georgia. Since then, she has also held the positions of Field Epidemiology Officer in Florida, Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC) of the six New England states, the Assistant Director for Swine Health with S&P’s Aquaculture, Swine, Equine and Poultry Health Center, and District 1 Director with Field Operations. Dr. Custer served as the first National Incident Coordinator for the highly pathogenic avian influenza response in poultry from February through September 2022. Koren and her husband, Matt, have two children: Logan (7) and MJ (3). They currently reside near Washington, D.C.
Session XIII: Invited Speaker
Moderators:
Steven Moeller, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
Matthew Fischer, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
9:10 – 9:55 am Aquaculture Health Risk Management/Vaccines in Aquaculture
Kathleen Hartman, DVM, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Riverdale, MD
William Keleher, Kennebec River Biosciences, Richmond, ME
9:55 – 10:10 am Q&A Session
Kathleen Hartman, DVM, PhD
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Riverdale, MD
Kathleen Hartman, DVM, PhD, is a senior staff veterinary medical officer with USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Aquatic Animal Health Commodity Center. Kathleen has been with USDA APHIS VS for over 22 years – first as an Aquaculture Epidemiologist and then as the Aquaculture Coordinator for Import/Export Services. She received a master’s from the University of Maryland, College Park (fish nutrition) and both a DVM and PhD (aquatic animal pharmacokinetics) from Virginia Tech. In 2018, Kathleen earned her certificate in public leadership from Brookings Institution and Washington University Olin Business School. She has a courtesy Assistant Professor appointment at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. In her current position she has traveled to both India and Indonesia in partnership with FDA/JIFSAN to provide training on aquaculture biosecurity, shrimp health and food safety. She has served on the Professional Standards, Technical Standards and the HROC Committees of the American Fisheries Society-Fish Health Section and was a certified AFS FHS Fish Health Inspector. She has served on both the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) aquatic animal medicine committee and food safety committee for multiple terms. She is a current member of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) and is a Past President of the U.S. Aquaculture Society (USAS).
William Keleher
Kennebec River Biosciences
Richmond, ME
William (Bill) Keleher is Founder & CEO of Kennebec River Biosciences (Richmond, ME), an internationally recognized aquatic animal health company providing veterinary and diagnostic testing services covering finfish, bivalve shellfish, and shrimp species. Kennebec also offers USDA licensed autogenous vaccines addressing significant bacterial pathogens affecting aquatic livestock in the U.S. and abroad. Bill is an American Fisheries Society – Fish Health Section Aquatic Animal Health Inspector, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Title 50 Inspector, and former Fisheries & Oceans Canada Fish Health Official. He currently serves on the Maine Aquatic Animal Health Technical Committee and is the past Chair of the U.S. Animal Health Association Aquaculture Committee.
10:10 – 10:30 am Coffee Break
Session XIV: Aquaculture/Entomology
Moderators:
Sherry Bohn, PhD, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), MSL, University of Maryland—Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
Joseph Kozlovac, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
10:30 – 10:45 am Biosecurity Challenges in Aquaculture Research Facilities
Christopher Good, DVM, PhD, The Conservation Fund, Arlington, VA
10:45 – 11:00 am The University of Maryland Insect Transformation Facility
Rob Harrell, MS, University of Maryland—College Park, MD
11:00 – 11:15 am Impacts and Management of the Invasive Spotted Lanternfly
Kelli Hoover, PhD, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA
11:15 – 11:30 am Evaluating Screwworm Mating Behavior and Fitness to Identify Causes of the Ongoing Screwworm Outbreak in Central America
Alex Arp, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Kerrville, TX
11:30 – 12:00 pm Q&A Session
Christopher Good, DVM, PhD
The Conservation Fund
Arlington, VA
Christopher M. Good is the Director of Research at The Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute (Shepherdstown, WV). His focus is on developing and overseeing the institute’s aquaculture research programs, producing peer-reviewed publications, presenting research findings at international scientific conferences, and interacting with key industry, government and nonprofit stakeholders. Since 2007, Chris has worked as an aquatic veterinarian focusing on the performance, health and welfare of production and research fish in recirculating aquaculture systems, as well as providing aquatic health and epidemiology services for off-site stakeholders. He is a veterinarian and holds a PhD in Epidemiology from the Ontario Veterinary College (Guelph, Canada). Chris is also a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine and a Certified Aquatic Veterinarian with the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association.
Rob Harrell, MS
University of Maryland—College Park
College Park, MD
Rob Harrell is the Director of the University of Maryland Insect Transformation Facility (ITF). The ITF is an international resource for insect genome modification, offering an experienced staff, state-of-the-art microinjection suite, and ample insect rearing spaces. ITF staff work with academic and industry scientists to create tools for their research by providing fee-for-service genetic modification, development of genetic modification protocols for new insect species, training in the techniques of insect genetic modification, and facility use. The ITF was founded in 2005 and works with clients across the United States and 8 countries.
Kelli Hoover, PhDPenn State College of Agricultural Sciences
University Park, PA
Dr. Kelli Hoover is a Professor in the Department of Entomology at Pennsylvania State University. She received her BS in Biology of Natural Resources from the University of California—Berkeley, her MS in Biology at San Jose State University, and her PhD in Entomology from University of California—Davis. Kelli is internationally recognized for her research on invasive species biology and ecology, especially for the discovery of mechanisms underlying multitrophic interactions between host plants, insects, and insect pathogens and symbionts. She is currently studying the physiological impacts of spotted lanternfly on hardwood tree health, as well as predation of spotted lanternfly by natural enemies in the wild. Kelli has published over 140 peer reviewed papers and book chapters, and she holds two patents. She has received two Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences teaching awards and the College’s Black Award for Excellence in Research. Kelli received the Entomological Society of America’s highest honor in 2021 by being named an ESA Fellow for her research contributions to the field of Entomology.
Alex Arp, PhDU.S. Department of Agriculture
Kerrville, TX
Dr. Alex Arp is a Research Geneticist (Insects) working for the USDA Agricultural Research Service at the Knipling-Bushland Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, TX. His research is focused on improving methods for mass-rearing screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax, to ensure the success of the screwworm eradication program. Projects include the development and optimization of transgenic male-only strains for mass-production, evaluating the impact mass-rearing conditions have on the fitness of the sterile insects, and exploring the diversity and ecological relationship between screwworm and their associated microbiota. Dr. Arp earned his PhD in Entomology from the University of Florida, Master of Biology from the University of Texas at Tyler, and Bachelors of Zoology from Kent State University.
12:00 pm Closing Comments
Joseph Kozlovac, MS, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD