Food, Agricultural and
Environmental Security
Cook College
New Jersey Agricultural
Experiment Station
Major Areas of Security Related
Research
Food Science
• Tom Montville
• Techniques to
prevent the
deliberate
biocontamination of
food
• Control of
undesirable
microbes in foods
http://www.amnistia.net/librairi/amnistia/n11/anthrax.jpg
Major Areas of Security Related
Research
Animal Pathology and
Physiology
• Dipak Sarkar
• Studies to understand
endocrine disruption
http://www.iblgroup.com/images/chemicals.jpg
• Impact of toxic
substances and
infectious agents on
the endocrine system
Major Areas of Security Related
Research
Plant Biotechnology
• Thomas Leustek
• Production of
genetically modified
plants to produce
useful compounds
• Transgenic plants
from which the
biomass can be
harvested and
utilized as vaccine
(anthrax toxin)
http://homepage2.nifty.com/~yoji/gardening/pictures/brassica_1.jpg
Major Areas of Security Related
Research
http://www.pharmd.org/thebureau/mosquito.jpg
Mosquito Research 1914
• Wayne Crans
• Provides research
based
recommendations for
responsible mosquito
control
• Define risk
assessment and
mitigation strategies
Responding to A Biological Threat
New Jersey and West Nile Virus
1999-2002 NJ had 43 confirmed human
cases of WNV infection and 2 fatalities
2002: 4,156 cases, 284 deaths
2003(9/19): 4,416 cases, 84
deaths
New Jersey
Colorado
7 cases
1,542 cases
1 fatality
27 fatalities
Critical Infrastructure
NJ Response to West Nile Virus
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior
Services
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
NJ Department of Agriculture
Center for Disease Control
State Mosquito Control Commission
Rutgers Mosquito Research Unit
Local Health Departments
Local Mosquito Control Agencies
Service
• Survey mosquito
breeding areas
• Sorting of
mosquito
collections
• Submission of
pooled samples
for assay (WNV
and EEE)
• Annual review of
plans and
Research
Sampled
• Wildlife
seroprevalence
(birds, deer, bear)
• Analysis of historical
mosquito population
data from county
agencies
• Defining NJ mosquito
vector ecology (cedar
swamps – horse
farms)
Thank You
Contact Information
Food Science – montville@aesop
Animal Science – sarkar@aesop
Plant Biotechnology –
leustek@aesop
Mosquito Research – crans@aesop
or puelle@aesop