Dyar Epidemiology Lecturer Explores Emerging Infections, Bioterrorism Topics

MICHAEL T. OSTERHOLM, PhD, MPH, presents an overview of emerging infectious diseases and a discussion of bioterrorism at the 6th Annual Robert Dyar Labrador Memorial Lectureship in Epidemiology, Wednesday, April 26, 2000, at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

The first of two presentations, "Emerging Infections Revisited: The Next Chapter," will take place at noon in the Schalm Lecture Hall (Room 170) in the Medical Sciences Complex. The second talk, "Bioterrorism: Media Hype or Real Nightmare?" will be held at 4:00 p.m. in Room 1309 in the Surge 3 building on Hutchison Drive. A reception at the Silo Pub follows the second lecture. Events are free and open to the public.

Michael T. Osterholm, CEO of the Infection Control Advisory Network, Inc., has served 24 years with the Minnesota Department of Health, including 15 years as state epidemiologist. Osterholm and his team were among the first to call attention to changes in how foodborne disease is spread. Recently, Osterholm has expressed concern about the use of biological agents as weapons of mass destruction in civilian populations.

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is a prime resource for information about animal, human and environmental health, including public health issues of infectious disease and food safety.

The Robert Dyar Labrador Memorial Lectureship in Epidemiology was endowed by Robert Dyar, MD, to recognize pioneering achievements and encourage development in veterinary epidemiology at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

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Dr. Osterholm's Biography:

Dr. Osterholm has had a long and distinguished career in public health, having served for 24 years in various roles at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the past 15 years as State Epidemiologist and Chief, Acute Disease Epidemiology Section, where he remains a consultant. He is also Adjunct Professor, Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, and Chairman and CEO of Infection Control Advisory Network, Inc. While at the MDH, Osterholm and his team were leaders in the area of infectious disease epidemiology. Osterholm's team was one of the first to call attention to the changing epidemiology of foodborne disease. Recently, Dr. Osterholm has been one of the national leaders detailing the growing concern regarding the use of biological agents as weapons of mass destruction in civilian populations. Dr. Osterholm is the author of more than 160 papers and 14 book chapters regarding infectious disease epidemiology. He serves on the editorial boards of five journals including The Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, and Microbial Drug Resistance: Mechanisms, Epidemiology and Disease, and is a reviewer for 24 additional journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, and Science. He served on the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine (IOM) Forum on Emerging Infections and the Committee on Food Safety, Production to Consumption; the National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Board of Scientific counselors; and as a reviewer for the IOM report on chemical and biological terrorism. As a member of the American Society for Microbiology, he chairs the Committee on Public Health and serves on the Public and Scientific Affairs Board, the Task Force on Biological Weapons and the Task Force on Antibiotic Resistance. He is a frequent consultant to the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and the CDC. Dr. Osterholm has received numerous honors for his work, including the "Pump Handle Award," CSTE; the Charles C. Shepard Science Award, CDC; the Harvey W. Wiley Medal, FDA: the "Squibb Award," Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Wade Hampton Frost Leadership, American Public Health Association. Dr. Osterholm has been the recipient of five major research awards from the NIH and CDC.

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For more information, please call:
School of Veterinary Medicine--
Department of Population Health and Reproduction
530-752-7848