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The Internship team is pleased to introduce the Summer 2014 STEC-CAP Interns.50292008509000Dean 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.-2286008064500A 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.”269494013398500Lindsay 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.0000Jessica 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.”45720009588500Heather 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 meAs 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.-228600000Kenda 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.”434340013843000Max 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.43434009144000Joy 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.036195000A 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.”48006004254500Huisuo 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.011176000Mariciauna 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.” 4800600317500Michelle 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. ................
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