The Internship team is pleased to introduce the Summer 2014 STEC-CAP Interns.
Dean Sieck, student at New Mexico State University and native of Colorado
Springs, CO, is collaborating with Drs. Dennis Burson and Harshavardhan
Thippareddi on the Development and Evaluation of Food Safety Educational
Materials for Beef/Veal Processing Standard Operating Procedures and Best
Practices. Dean states “I currently work in the New Mexico State University
meat lab, so I am familiar with the practices of beef processing.”
Okunrobo Maxwell Osarodion, Mississippi Valley State University student, will be working with
Dr. Ben Chapman on evaluation of messages and methods to communicate risks of eating
undercooked beef products. Maxwell states “I am interested in food safety because I am
curious about the contents of the food we eat, and how they affect our health. Knowledge of
the toxin-producing bacteria in beef could help ensure safety amongst the public in regards to
beef consumption. Maxwell is a native of Edo State, Nigeria.
A native of Overland Park, KS and Kansas State University College of
Veterinary Medicine student, Diane Larson will be working with Drs.
T.G. Nagarja and Jianfa Bai on assessment of human pathogenic
potential of Shiga toxin gene carrying E. coli O26 and O103 isolates
from cattle feces. Diane Larson states, “as a veterinary student, I
understand the importance of the veterinarian’s role in public health
and food safety. We help bridge the gap between animal and human
health. I am passionate about protecting human health by improving
food safety in the beef industry. I worked on the STEC project last
year doing prevalence studies and look forward to furthering that
research again this summer.”
Lindsay Upperman, student at Kansas State University, will be
working with Dr. Dan Thomson on translation of STEC mitigation
research to field implementation. Lindsay states, “I have grown up
raising and showing beef cattle. This means constant contact with
the public, explaining how my animals will eventually be harvested
for their dinner. Food safety is usually the main concern when
talking to the public. Having the most current knowledge about
harvesting animals, the processes the product goes through, and
the qualifications that must be met are very crucial. I believe that
no matter who you are; a safe, reliable food product should always
be available. Carolina is a native of Chambersburg, PA.
Jessica Thomson, student at Kansas State University and native of
Allen, Texas, is collaborating with Dr. Ludek Zurek on the role of
muscoid flies in the ecology of STEC-8. Jessica states “I have a special
interest in entomology as it relates to food safety and ecology of
animal and human pathogens and disease. Working with STEC-8
which may be spread by house flies in feedlots and other livestock
facilities would provide me with more insight on food-borne diseases
that can be vectored by insects. My background in animal science will
be helpful because cattle serve as asymptomatic reservoirs of the
bacteria. This project will allow me to work with insects and provide
me with a better understanding of the effect they have on food
safety.”
Heather Mendez, student at the University of New Mexico, is interning
for Drs. Steven Graves and Alana Deshpande researching the Mol-PCR
for SNP based detection of STEC strains. Heather states, “growing up in
the village of Los Lunas, New Mexico, I was surrounded by farmers who
raised cattle as livestock. It was here where I learned the significant role
livestock plays in the livelihood of rural farmers. Livestock not only
provides a source of income for the farmer, but provides a source of
nourishment for many households. As the human population continues
to increase, many individuals live in urban areas and rely on farmers for
their beef products Due to my background in agriculture, the
opportunity to examine different detection methods to protect the
beef industry is of great interest to me
As a graduate student in the Biomedical Engineering program, research and
development of diagnostics are a vital component in the field and are necessary for enhancing
health care. Research for the STEC-STEP internship is associated with the development of
diagnostics, which has been a strong interest of mine as a future profession. Partaking in this
internship will allow an insight into the methods of detection and development of new skills in
the field of research. Human life is both precious and delicate; therefore, the development of
new technologies will allow us to live longer and healthier lives. This experience will provide
insight into the importance of food safety at each stage of beef production, from the farm to
the consumer.” Sarah’s hometown is Los Lunas, NM.
Kenda Jackson will be working with Dr. Rodney Moxley
on the optimization of antibiotic selection in agar media
for detection of STEC-8 in different matrices. The
Tuskegee University student and Brooklyn, NY native
states, “I love microorganisms and how they effect our
bodies. One way of getting these microorganisms into
our bodies is ingesting them in the food we eat. I would
like to one day help prevent many diseases for humans
and animals that are contracted from ingesting food.
With research, I hope to find ways of prevention of a
food contaminant in the most natural ways possible to continue to keep the food health. In my
future, I plan to research the anti-microbial effects of garlic, clove and onion extracts when
added to our food.”
Max Stella, student at Delaware Valley College, will be working with
Drs. Anna Porto-Fett and John Luchansky on evaluation of lauric
arginate (LAE) applied via Electrostatic Spray System (ESS) and/or
Sprayed Lethality in Container (SLIC) for surface treatment of
subprimals. Max states, “food safety is an important part of our
world today that is often forgotten and taken for granted. Working
in food safety gives a person the ability to directly affect a wide
range of people in their everyday lives.” Max is a native of
Doylestown, PA.
Joy Mudoh, student at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, is
interning for Dr. Salina Parveen researching the prevalence and
characterization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 recovered from retail
ground veal in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. She
states, “to study pathogens and how they affect the food we eat
and how we can prevent these pathogens from our food using
scientific techniques which I hope to learn.” Joy’s hometown is
Salisbury, MD.
A native of Newark, Delaware and Drexel University student, Angela
Ferelli will be working with Dr. K.E. Wommack on Characterization and
Quantification of Virulence Factor Genes within Bacteriophages of the
Cattle Microbiome. “I became interested in Food Safety in 2012.
During my first semester as a Food Science student, I had enrolled in
one of Dr. Kalmia Kniel’s classes, “Foodborne Diseases.” This survey
course gave me an introduction to the microbiology and epidemiology
of foodborne disease and foodborne outbreaks. I began to see the
implications food safety had not only in private health, but in public
health as well. From that experience in 2012 to this day I have
endeavored to explore all the horizons of food safety so that I may one day be at the forefront
of future nation-wide public health initiatives.”
Huisuo Huang, University of Missouri-Colombia, will be working with Dr.
Alejandro Castillo on the use of electrostatic spray for applying
interventions to reduce STEC-8 on cold beef carcass surfaces. She states “I
worked on food safety filed starting in 2009 when I was a graduate student
in the University of Florida. My concentration was strategies to reduce
pathogens and spoilage organisms and extend the shelf life of meat
products.” Huisuo is a native of Shijiazhuang, China.
Mariciauna Daniel, student at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical
University and native of Dayton, OH, is collaborating with Drs. Armitra
Jackson-Davis and Lamin Kassama on Investigating the effectiveness of
organic acids containing surfactants in combination with pulsed UV
light treatment for the inactivation of E. coli O26, O45, O103, O111,
O121, O145 and O104:H4 on beef trim when compared to E. coli
O157:H7. She states, “I am interested in learning more about
foodborne pathogens and different mechanisms to prevent their
growth. This internship will be instrumental in my learning process.”
Michelle Oliver, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, will be
working with Drs. Armitra Jackson-Davis and Lamin Kassama on
investigating the effectiveness of organic acids contai ning surfactants in
combination with ultrasound on the inactivation of non-O157 and O157:H7
STEC on beef trim. She states, “as I further my science education, I've
learned that food safety is an important component of food microbiology.
My interest is to improve food safety by conducting research that would
ultimately lead to the control of pathogens in food systems. I plan to use what I learn to
educate my not only my collegiate peers, but my community as well. I intend to teach different
ways to prevent food borne illness though community lectures and small health fairs. Not only
will this opportunity allow me to gain experience in food microbiology and food safety, but it
will help me execute my overall plan to educate others about food borne illnesses.” Michelle is
a native of Atlanta, GA.