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Microbial Risk Center Will Help Scientists Study Infectious Diseases

Michigan State University is developing a new center that will help everyone from first responders to legislators deal with infectious diseases as well as bioterrorism threats.

Thanks to a $10 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Homeland Security, MSU will take the lead in the Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment (CAMRA) - a consortium of scientists from seven universities with expertise in quantitative microbial risk assessment methods, biosecurity, and infectious disease transmission through environmental exposure.

Joan Rose, holder of the Homer Nowlin Chair for water research and MAES-affiliated scientist, was named co-director of CAMRA, a project she hopes will provide the tools needed to combat bioterrorism and ward off global outbreaks of infectious diseases.

"We've done a good job of developing the framework for chemical risks, but microbial risk assessment has received much less attention," she said. "We continue to struggle with these microbial risks and infectious disease outbreaks, including those that are spread intentionally via terrorism. The tools we develop will better prepare first responders and decision makers to deal with these issues."

The center is the brainchild of Rose, who is internationally known for her work on Cryptosporidium, and Chuck Haas, an environmental engineer at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Shortly after receiving a request for proposals from EPA and the Department of Homeland Security, the two joined forces to assemble a team of scientists from across the country and created a model that they hope will help shape policy and create a global strategy for dealing with microbial risks.

"Chuck and I have been working together for years and often talked about the need for a better science base and framework for microbial assessment," Rose said. "So when we saw this opportunity to work together with Homeland Security and EPA, we jumped on it."

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said the center is a perfect fit for the university.

"We are very proud to take the lead in a nationwide effort to combat bioterrorism and proactively prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases across the globe," she said. "The fact that Dr. Rose was chosen to lead this effort is a testimony to her scientific knowledge and ability to lead a team of world-class scientists in such an important endeavor."

Rose said one of the main goals of the center is to connect science to the community.

"We want to make sure that first responders, regulators, policy-makers and healthcare professionals have the tools they need to make decisions quickly when they see the potential for microbial outbreaks," she said. "The best way to do that is through early detection and a deeper understanding of how these diseases spread."

Other MSU personnel with responsibilities to CAMRA are Carole Bolin, MAES scientist in the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health; Syed Hashsham, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; and Ewen Todd, director of the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center.

The center is funded for five years and includes investigators from MSU, Drexel, the University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona and the University of California-Berkeley.

MAES Researchers Will Use USDA Grant to Solve Problems for Organic Farmers

Cutting-edge research on organic production methods, done in cooperation with Michigan farmers and the public, will be funded by a $754,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded to an interdisciplinary team of Michigan State University (MSU) Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station researchers and MSU Extension educators. The MSU scientists will work with Michigan Integrated Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) and the Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA) on the research.

"We're thrilled to have this support to work with farmers, educators and advisers from both the public and private sectors," said Sieglinde Snapp, MSU associate professor of horticulture and project leader. Snapp's research is supported by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station. "The focus of this grant will be on integrating research, marketing, outreach and education to address issues of top priority to Michigan organic producers -- both current producers and those transitioning to organic production."

The MSU scientists will work with Michigan organic farmers to determine the most important areas to study first. The MSU team primarily will be focusing on field crop (corn, soybeans and wheat) and vegetable (tomatoes and cucumbers) production, as well as integrating organic production concepts into the MSU curriculum.

Snapp said she believes that research on the biological management of nutrients and insects would be high on most farmers' lists, as well as marketing and weather variability studies.

"Changing weather during the growing season is a challenge in the upper Midwest, and I'm sure this will be addressed in the project," she said. "Our goal is to help organic farmers solve the problems they face and offer them unique tools and support to move forward, whether they're just moving to organic production or have been farming organically for many years."

The most innovative aspect of the grant is its linking of long-term research trials testing agroecological principles with participatory research conducted with farmers, Snapp said.

"The research will link on-farm research to two long-term trials, one at the MSU Kellogg Biological Station in Hickory Corners, Mich., on organic field crop organic production, and one at the MSU Horticulture Farm on campus on organic vegetable production," Snapp explained. "This grant takes advantage of what is one of the most extensive agricultural experiment station field research station networks in the country."

Other MSU scientists involved in the "Partnering to Cultivate Organic Agriculture in Michigan and the Midwest" project are: Dale Mutch, cover and field crops IPM MSU Extension specialist; John Biernbaum, professor of horticulture; George Bird, professor of entomology; Mike Brewer, MSU IPM program coordinator; Ed Grafius, professor of entomology; Joy Landis, MSU IPM program assistant coordinator; and Mathieu Ngouajio, assistant professor of horticulture. The work of Biernbaum, Bird, Grafius, Mutch and Ngouajio is supported by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.

Removing Sand from Michigan Asparagus May Make Industry More Competitive

MAES researchers may have discovered a way to aid Michigan asparagus growers and processors struggling against less expensive imports: reducing the amount of sand present in the harvested product.

Though asparagus grows best in sandy, well-drained soil, Kirk Dolan, MAES food science and human nutrition and biosystems and agricultural engineering researcher, explained that grit in asparagus causes concern for growers and food processors.

“Those little sand particles can be annoying,” he said. “Sand gets caught in the heads of the asparagus and it’s difficult to remove.”

Michigan asparagus processors approached Dolan with hopes of finding a way to increase the quality of Michigan asparagus by reducing the amount of sand found in fresh, canned and frozen asparagus.

Currently, asparagus runs over a shaker table and is blanched in a water bath to remove sand. Dolan and his research team collaborated with other MSU agricultural engineers to design equipment that sprays water on the asparagus at strategic angles and water pressure levels as it travels along a conveyor belt at the processing facility. Tests indicate that the MSU-designed sprayer removes more sand than the traditional method.

Dolan said that finding ways to improve the quality of Michigan asparagus, including sand removal, is key to increasing product sales. Changes in U.S. trade practices in recent years have drawn in a flood of low-priced South American asparagus to the United States.

“Peru has been exporting less expensive asparagus into the United States,” he said. “We can’t compete with cheaper South American labor costs, but we can compete on product quality. Less sand will result in a higher quality end product for consumers.”

Applying the new spray technology may mean that growers’ harvest decisions are less severely restricted by the weather -- they will be able to harvest asparagus when it is at peak quality. Traditionally, growers haven’t been able to pick asparagus immediately after rain because too much soil splatters into the plant head. With the new sprayer, this rain-driven sand can easily be rinsed away.

The researchers want to install the new MSU sprayers in processing facilities so processors can compare the new technology with conventional sand removal methods. Dolan said the sprayers would be relatively inexpensive to install in factories. He hopes to see more positive results and feedback from growers and factory owners.

Nationally, Michigan ranks third in asparagus production, harvesting 31.7 million pounds of dual-purpose asparagus (fresh and processing) annually with an estimated farm gate value of $19.3 million.

Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Environmental and Economic Needs), Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture helped fund this research.

Product Center Receives $300,000 USDA Grant

The MSU Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources has received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program.

“The grant will be used to identify small businesses in economically depressed rural areas and train their operators in the creation of cooperatives,” said Barbara Fails, Product Center assistant director.

Small-business owners, farmers and other potential entrepreneurs will work with 26 Product Center counselors located across Michigan to develop cooperatives and build stronger businesses.

The MSU Product Center staff plans to establish several rural cooperatives throughout the state with a focus on major commodities such as corn, soybeans, dairy products and fruit.

The MSU grant is a portion of the $7.3 million provided by the USDA to cooperative development centers in 22 states. The Rural Development Program works to increase economic opportunities and improve daily life in rural communities.

The MSU Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources is organized to provide coordinated, universitywide assistance for agriculture, food and natural resource entrepreneurs and managers in improving economic opportunities for Michigan. The center’s mission is to envision, explore and empower a profitable future for businesses and industries engaged in Michigan agricultural, food and natural resources systems.

Blueberry Management Focus of New MSU Web Site

Blueberry growers can get the answers to many of their crop-related questions by visiting a new Web site developed by MAES researchers and Extension specialists at Michigan State University.

The team developed the Web site as a one-stop resource on blueberry production and crop management. The site, www.blueberries.msu.edu, includes information on cultivating blueberries, blueberry varieties, insect pests, diseases, nutrition disorders, weeds, pest management, weather and crop scouting. The site also includes links to other blueberry-related Web sites.

“The Web site was created as a comprehensive resource for people interested in blueberry production,” said Annemiek Schilder, MAES plant pathology scientist. “Because Michigan is the largest highbush blueberry-producing state, it seemed logical that MSU would create this site.”

Schilder said the Web site is useful for anyone who works with blueberries, including growers, nursery owners, researchers, Extension staff members and specialists, teachers, crop consultants, government employees and home gardeners who want to get more information on all aspects of growing blueberries.

Development of the Web site was funded by Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs), Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU, and the Michigan Blueberry Growers Association.

Entomologist Receives NIH Grant to Unravel Mysterious Tropical Disease

A tropical skin disease nicknamed “the sore that heals in vain” wreaks both physical and social mayhem – mostly on children – yet its transmission is a mystery, one an MSU researcher and his former research associate hope to solve.

Richard Merritt, chairperson of the Department of Entomology, and Eric Benbow, now at DePauw University in Indiana, are using a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation to investigate possible links between biting aquatic insects, water quality and Buruli ulcer transmission.

“It’s called the ‘mysterious disease’ because nobody knows how it’s transmitted,” Merritt said. “So that’s the real dilemma, and we’re just getting started trying to figure this disease out.”

Scientists do know that Buruli ulcer disease is cased by a bacterium, Mycobacterium ulcerans, found in tropical regions such as western Africa. They also know that 70 percent of Buruli ulcer patients are children under 15 years old and that the number of infections has been on the rise for the past decade.

A Buruli ulcer infection begins with a painless raised nodule followed by a sore. Left untreated, the mycobacterium produces a toxin that destroys surrounding tissue, muscle and, in some cases, bone, leaving ulcers and disfigured limbs, Merritt said. In many cases, amputation is the only option.

Antibiotics have shown some success in treating Buruli ulcer if it's caught in its early stages, but by the time patients normally seek medical attention it is too late.

“I was in an orphanage in Ghana where 60 to 70 percent of the kids had Buruli ulcer disease,” Merritt said. “Some of these little kids’ arms or legs are covered with ulcers and doctors can’t do a skin graft because there isn’t enough skin there to take. I was really touched by these kids.”

Merritt, who is a specialist in aquatic and medical entomology, will investigate any possible role that biting water insects, such as creeping and giant water bugs, may have in the transmission of the disease.

If insects do transmit M. ulcerans, figuring out how they transfer the disease agent is key. Merritt speculated that the pathogen may be transmitted to humans from a direct insect bite. It’s also possible that biting water insects act as a reservoir for the bacterium to grow. The bacterium also may live in the water or attach to plant surfaces and infect humans by entering the body through scratches and cuts, Merritt said.

“Buruli ulcer has always been associated with water,” Merritt said. “That’s the critical thing. No matter where the disease is, there’s always water around. Insects are thought to be involved. That’s how I got into this.”

He and Benbow also plan to explore possible connections between land use, water quality and pollution, and the increasing rates of Buruli ulcer infections. M. ulcerans might be a normal inhabitant of some tropical water bodies, Merritt said. He suggested that changes in water quality caused by humans may be giving the bacterium a competitive advantage.

Buruli ulcer also has economic impacts. Families must absorb the costs of medical treatment and may miss days of work to care for their sick children. For those whose bodies have been ravaged by the infection, the disease’s effects are devastating and lifelong.

“Many people don’t report their illness to their own village because they may be considered social outcasts,” Merritt said.

Unraveling Buruli ulcer disease is a collaborative effort. Merritt hopes to establish a scientific partnership between MSU and Ghana. He and his research team are working closely with local Ghanaian Ministry of Health officials, the University of Ghana and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

This spring, Merritt plans to invite one or more graduate students from Ghana to study with him at MSU. The goal is to equip people with the scientific expertise to battle the disease.

“MSU has the opportunity to help mankind, and in terms of the land-grant mission, we can help improve health and economic stability,” Merritt said. “We want to give something back. Training is one of the ways we can do that.”

MAES Researchers Identify Cranberry Varieties Suitable for Michigan

Michigan’s cranberry industry has grown steadily over the past 10 years, but information to guide variety selection has been hard to come by. Now, thanks to MAES researchers at Michigan State University, growers will find it easier to make their cranberry planting decisions.

Eric Hanson, MAES horticulture researcher, has been instrumental in helping to identify cranberry varieties suitable for Michigan growing conditions.

“Which varieties they should grow is one of the first questions growers confront once they decide to develop a cranberry bog,” he said.

Hanson said Michigan is becoming a popular cranberry-growing state because it has the types of soils, an abundant water supply, and established fruit processing and storage facilities needed to develop a successful cranberry industry.

Michigan’s cranberry acreage has grown by 2,000 percent in 10 years. In 1993, there was one grower with 11 acres of cranberries; in 2003, the number of growers had increased to nine and the acreage to more than 220.

Because so many new cranberry growers were establishing bogs in the state and variety information was limited, Hanson decided he would use funding from Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Environmental and Economic Needs), the state’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU, to evaluate varieties, collect data and communicate his findings.

“Though cranberries were grown in Michigan in the 1800s, no one had any experience with growing more modern varieties to help guide growers in making their choices today,” he said. “We created this project so that we could provide growers with research-based information on what varieties would be suitable to Michigan conditions.”

In his 6-year research project, Hanson grew several varieties of cranberries and evaluated them for production traits.

“We compared more than 20 cranberry varieties for productivity, disease tolerance and fruit characteristics,” Hanson said. “Based on our comparisons, we were able to identify a half-dozen or so cranberry varieties that appear well-suited to Michigan growing conditions.”

Hanson’s variety data are summarized each year in the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center annual report. The report can be downloaded at www.maes.msu.edu/swmrec/ or obtained by calling Hanson at 517-355-5191, ext. 1386, or e-mailing him at hansone@msu.edu.

Studying the Tradeoffs of International Trade

International agricultural trade opens markets to new goods and lower consumer prices, but it can also introduce exotic invasive species that can damage the environment and populations of native plant and animal species.

MAES agricultural economists are developing a new procedure to help evaluate the tradeoffs between a stronger economy through trade and the costs of identifying and managing destructive new pests.

Suzanne Thornsbury, MAES agricultural economist, said the proposed system will help government officials, natural resource specialists and researchers determine whether an invasive species is a true economic threat or whether its presence serves as an excuse to avoid building trade relations with other countries. The new procedure will incorporate economic analysis into the biological assessment of pest risk to compare policy alternatives addressing these concerns.

“Right now, some Michigan products face limited or very costly access to international markets, and vice versa,” she said. “Our project is making a real effort to determine when imposing these policies is actually preventing further infestation by pests or diseases and when they’re discouraging trade.”

One Michigan industry that is currently grappling with such a tradeoff is the fresh apple industry. Michigan apples must undergo a number of treatment and inspection steps before they can be exported to Mexico. At the same time that Michigan apples are being scrutinized by Mexican authorities, discussions have started over the possibility of importing fresh apples into the United States from China.

Invasive species risk management is a multiple-step process. MAES agricultural economists are developing analytical techniques to look at each step of the process separately and at the U.S. trade policy as a whole.

“This new system will benefit those who write phytosanitary policies at the state and possibly at the federal level,” Thornsbury said. “It will also benefit Michigan industries that want policy-makers in other countries to do more to prevent the spread of invasive pests into the United States.”

The economic analysis will help determine how current policies affect money earned or lost and compare it with the possible destruction that an invasive pest can cause. Policy-makers will be able to weigh whether it’s economically justified to disband trade with a country or whether trade is worth gambling on introducing an exotic pest.

MAES researchers are currently applying the new procedure to case studies and actual trade issues to assess its accuracy.

“We’re hoping for positive results,” Thornsbury said. “This could redefine how policy-makers evaluate programs and help sustain Michigan agriculture in a global economy.”

New Faculty Members

The MAES is pleased to welcome three new faculty members.

Tom Luster, professor of family and child ecology, recently received an MAES appointment. He has been at MSU since 1985.

Luster's research focuses on the factors associated with successful outcomes in at-risk children and adolescents, adolescent sexuality and adolescent parenthood, and family support and intervention programs for at-risk youth. He is also studying the “lost boys” of Sudan refugees.

He is the author of numerous journal articles, books and conference papers and is a member of the Society for Research in Child Development and the National Council on Family Relations. He has served on many committees at MSU, most recently as the chairperson of the reappointment, tenure and promotion committee for the Department of Family and Child Ecology from 2004 to 2005.

Luster received his doctoral and master's degrees in developmental psychology from Cornell University in 1985 and 1983, respectively. He received his bachelor's degree in social studies education from the University of Iowa in 1975.

Steve Safferman was named associate professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering in August.

His research focuses on ecosystem management, reclamation and protection, including innovative animal waste management strategies for large and small producers; biological, chemical and physical treatment technologies for nitrogen and phosphorus control; treatment systems for storm drainage, including effluent from tiles; innovative physical and chemical processes for on-site wastewater treatment technologies; and industrial assessments to minimize water use and wastewater production.

Before coming to MSU, Safferman was associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and engineering mechanics at the University of Dayton for 11 years. He also was an environmental engineer in the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development.

Safferman received his doctoral and master's degrees in environmental engineering and his bachelor's degree in civil engineering, all from the University of Cincinnati.

Ning Jiang, assistant professor of horticulture, received an MAES appointment in August 2005. She has been at MSU since August 2004.

Jiang's research focuses on the function of transposable elements to understand the forces underlying eukaryotic genome diversification. In September 2004, she co-authored a paper on transposable elements in the British science journal Nature. The paper was highly rated by Faculty of 1000, an online tool to point scientists around the world to the most significant new research in biology.

Before coming to MSU, Jiang worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia from 2002 to 2004.

Jiang received her doctorate in plant science from the University of Georgia in 2002, her master's degree in plant physiology from Yangzhou University, China, in 1986 and her bachelor's degree in plant physiology and biochemistry from Nanjing University, China, in 1983.

Thomashow Elected President of American Society of Plant Biologists

Michael Thomashow, university distinguished professor and MAES crop and soil sciences and microbiology and molecular genetics researcher, became president of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) Oct. 1.

“It is a great honor and privilege to have been elected to serve in a leadership role for the American Society of Plant Biologists,” Thomashow said. “I look forward to assisting ASPB continue making vital contributions in support of the plant biology community that help it move into the future.”

Thomashow is internationally recognized for his work on the molecular mechanisms of cold acclimation in plants. His research on plant tolerance to extreme temperatures holds promise to improve not only cold tolerance of plants but also tolerance to other stressors such as salt and drought. In 2001, he was awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Award. Thomashow is director of the NASA Center for Genomic and Evolutionary Studies on Microbial Life at Low Temperatures, which explores how the genetic mechanisms in microscopic forms of life (microbes) have evolved that allow them to inhabit cold, inhospitable environments, a common feature of space, planets and interstellar objects.

Thomashow received his doctorate in microbiology from the University of California-Los Angeles.
Last Updated: January 16, 2007
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