Sam Joseph - Professor, cell biology and molecular genetics, University of Maryland
Expertise: Pathogens in the food supply; bioterrorism; antibiotic resistance. "I have researched organisms in the environment which can cause disease in humans -- their taxonomy, particularly aeromonas, enterococcus and vibrio; their survival in the environment and how they accomplish it (both in natural and manmade environments); how to eliminate pathogens from the environment (for example in poultry processing and production); the antibiotic resistance (ar) of organisms in the environment and the effect on treatment of infectious pathogens in humans - by direct infection, ar pathogens from foods or transfer of ar from foodborne organisms to human pathogens (either in the environment or in the human intestine). We ultimately search for not only the physiologic basis of these phenomena but the genetic basis."

Contact: (301) 405-5452; (lab) (301) 405-5451; sj13@umail.umd.edu
Website: http://www.life.umd.edu/CBMG/faculty/joseph.htm

Jianghong Meng - Associate professor, food science and nutrition, University of Maryland
Expertise: speedier detection of pathogens in foods, particularly Echerichia coli, Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella serovars; investigating virulence properties and antibiotic resistance of these foodborne pathogens; developing and applying novel technologies for detection and molecular subtyping of foodborne pathogens; effect on antibiotic resistance caused by meat treated with antibiotics, esp. mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and resistance gene transfer

Credentials: Has co-published numerous papers on antimicrobial resistance, including the letter "Resistant bacteria in retail meats and antimicrobial use in animals" in New England Journal of Medicine, 2002
Contact: (301) 405-1399; jm332@umail.umd.edu
Website: www.agnr.umd.edu/users/nfsc/meng.htm

Norman Hansen - Professor, chemistry and biochemistry, University of Maryland
Expertise: Detecting pathogens, protecting food supply from bioterrorism; Antibiotic alternatives for food supply - "I study antimicrobial peptides, which are small proteins that have antibacterial properties. They are used as food preservatives and kill infectious bacteria. With appropriate research, they may be able to replace classical antibiotics, such as penicillin, that are becoming useless because bacteria have become resistant to them. These antimicrobial peptides are also effective against bacterial spores, such as the anthrax-causing Bacillus."

Contact: (301) 405-1847; jh21@umail.umd.edu
Website: www.chem.umd.edu/faculty/biochem/hansen/hansen.htm

George Bean - Professor, cell biology and molecular genetics, University of Maryland
Expertise: Toxic fungi; toxic molds; detection and prevention of toxigenic fungi in foods and animal feeds; history -- food disasters of the past - rye fungus poisoning

Credentials: 3 decades working with toxic fungi that occur in foods and feeds; recent interview with Horizon Entertainment on toxic molds
Contact: gb9@umail.umd.edu; Ellen Ternes, (301) 405-4627, eternes@accmail.umd.edu
Website: www.life.umd.edu/CBMG/faculty/bean/bean.html

Y. Martin Lo -Associate professor, food bioprocess engineering and food safety extension, nutrition and food science, University of Maryland
Expertise: Food bioprocess engineering: development of whole-cell biosensor to improve food safety; value-added product development; integrating biotechnology with state-of-the-art strategies in process engineering to ensure safety of food and processing; recovery and bioconversion of organic materials from food processing waste streams; international coordination

Credentials: Experience in industrial HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) training; industrial troubleshooting; food science/safety education
Contact: (301) 405-4509; yl89@umail.umd.edu
Website: www.agnr.umd.edu/users/nfsc/martinlo.htm

Mohammad Modarres - Professor, materials and nuclear engineering, University of Maryland
Expertise: Assessing risk of food contamination including e-coli contamination of beef and cheeses, with model-based techniques used in engineering disciplines

Credentials: Director, Center for Reliability Engineering; Co-Director, Center for Technology Risk Studies, University of Maryland
Contact: (301) 405-5226; modarres@eng.umd.edu
Website: www.enre.umd.edu/faculty/modarre

Suman Mukhopadhyay - Assistant professor, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland
Expertise: Infection, survival and adaptation of pathogens, such as E.coli and salmonella and researching novel drugs that may block the process. His research integrates the tools of genomics and bioinformatics with those of conventional molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics and immunology, to study host-pathogen interaction.

Contact: (301) 314-6812; mukhopad@umbi.umd.edu
Website: www.vetmed.umd.edu/facultystaff.htm

Bettye K. Walters - Director, Center for Government and Corporate Veterinary Medicine,Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland
Expertise: Meat and poultry safety; food security and food safety in developing countries; international trade issues; intercultural communications concerns

Credentials: Teaches international veterinary medicine; Advanced Food Safety for Veterinarians: Perspectives, Practice and Policy-- food borne hazards, testing and sampling, prevention and control strategies through the food chain, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points systems; attended World Veterinary Congress, Tunisia, '02
Contact: (301) 314-6821; bw93@umail.umd.edu
Website: www.vetmed.umd.edu/cgcvm/faculty.html

Linda Detwiler - Adjunct professor, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland
Expertise: Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs), including "mad cow disease;" emergency preparedness and import/export animal product issues, including swine health protection, foreign animal disease response, endemic disease control and eradication programs

Credentials: Senior Staff Veterinarian, Emergency Programs Staff, USDA, 1996-2002 - coordinated surveillance, prevention and education activities for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE); former Veterinarian in Charge - New Jersey, USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services; currently a private animal health consultant
Contact: 732-741-2290; LAVET22@aol.com