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Conference Proceedings
Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel
Toronto, Ontario
January 18-20, 2002
Conference Co-ordinator
Dr. G. McFadden
John P. Robarts Research Institute and University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario, Canada
Conference organized by
CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity
Scientific Director: Dr. B. Singh
Conference cosponsored by
Office of the Chief Scientist, Health Canada
CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health
CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
CIHR Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction
A number of people made significant contributions to the planning of Biological Terrorism: Canadian Research Agenda. Their insights, advice and participation helped to make this a valuable and successful conference. We are extremely grateful to these contributors for their assistance, and would especially like to thank the following people: Bruce Moor, Carol Richardson, Kim Elmslie, Doris Hall, Wendy Blackwell, Nikki Kelvin, Helena Axler and Anne Malo. Special thanks are also due to Health Canada for cosponsoring the conference and for its ongoing support in moving forward the recommendations arising from this meeting.
Copyright Winnipeg Free Press, Feb. 13, 2001. Reproduced with permission
ISBN 0-662-32536-2
Table of contents
| 1. Program |
| 2. Executive Summary |
| 3. Conference Proceedings |
| 4. Appendices |
Program
Friday, Jan. 18
| 5:30 | Registration & Reception |
| 6:30 | Dinner |
| 8:00 | Plenary Introductory Remarks: Dr. A. Bernstein, President, CIHR Opening Remarks: Dr. K. Keough, Chief Scientist, Health Canada Canada's Scientific Community in Bioterrorism Research Speakers: Dr. J. Meegan, U.S. National Institutes of Health The NIH Research Agenda in Response to the Threat of Bioterrorism Dr. J. Hughes, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC Perspective on Preparedness and Response to the Threat of Bioterrorism |
Saturday, Jan. 19
| 7:00 | Continental Breakfast & Registration |
| 8:00 | Plenary Viral Agents Introduction by Chair: Dr. G. McFadden, John P. Robarts Research Institute and the University of Western Ontario Speakers: Dr. M. Buller, St. Louis University The Smallpox Vaccine: a New Role, an Old Dilemma Dr. I. Damon, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Updates on Aspects of the U.S. Smallpox Research Agenda Dr. P. Jahrling, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Variola Infection of Primates as a Model for Human Smallpox |
| 9:30 | Break |
| 10:00 | Plenary Bacteriological Agents Introduction by Chair: Dr. D. Low, Mount Sinai Hospital & University of Toronto Speakers: Dr. J. Mogridge, University of Toronto Designing Inhibitors of Anthrax Toxin Dr. J.M. Musser, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases High Throughput Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms for Rapid and Unambiguous Characterization of Genetic Relationships among Pathogenic Microbial Strains Dr. M.G. Bergeron, Université Laval Rapid (< 1 hour) DNA-based Diagnostic for Sporulated and Vegetative Bacillus anthracis Directly from Powders and Clinical Samples |
| 11:30 | Lunch |
| 12:30 | Plenary Pathogens in the Food Chain Introduction by Chair: Dr. A. Wildeman, University of Guelph Speakers: Dr. S. McEwen, University of Guelph Transmission of Biological Agents through the Food Chain Dr. L. Logan, Texas Animal Health Commission Biosecurity of Agricultural Systems Dr. C. Brown, University of Georgia Agroterrorism |
| 2:00 | Break |
| 2:30 | Plenary Public Health, Preparedness and Response Introduction by Chair: Dr. F. Plummer, Health Canada National Microbiology Laboratory Speakers: Dr. R. St. John, Health Canada Issues in Public Health Response in Canada Dr. K. Harding, Defence R&D Canada-Suffield Rapid Detection Technology Dr. D. Mowat, Health Canada Centre for Surveillance Co-ordination Surveillance Needs |
| 4:00 | Break |
| 4:30 | Plenary Vaccines and Antimicrobials Introduction by Chair: Dr. L. Babiuk, University of Saskatchewan Speakers: Dr. H. Davis, Coley Pharmaceutical Group CpG DNA for Protection against Biowarfare Agents through Enhancement of Innate and Adaptive immunity Dr. D. Weiner, University of Pennsylvania Engineering Vaccines for Agents of Bioterrorism Dr. L. Barreto, Aventis Pasteur Ltd. Role of Industry in Responding to Bioterrorism, Example Smallpox |
| 6:00 | Adjournment |
| 6:30 | Reception |
| 7:00 | Dinner |
| 8:30 | Speaker: Professor D. H. Avery, University of Western Ontario Bioweapons, Microbiology and Arms Control: The Canadian Experience |
Sunday, Jan. 20
| 7:00 | Continental Breakfast & Registration |
| 8:00 | Plenary Summary of Saturday Sessions |
| 8:30 | Breakout Sessions
Viral Agents Bacteriological Agents Pathogens in the Food Chain Public Health, Preparedness and Response Vaccines and Antimicrobials |
| 10:30 | Break |
| 11:00 | Plenary Summary and Discussion |
| 12:00 | Recommendations Dr. G. McFadden, John P. Robarts Research Institute and University of Western Ontario Dr. K. Keough, Chief Scientist, Health Canada Dr. D. Low, Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto Closing Remarks |
| 12:30 | Adjournment |
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
and Health Canada Conference on
Biological Terrorism: Canadian Research Agenda
January 18 - 20, 2002
Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel, Toronto, Ontario
Approximately 130 participants attended Biological Terrorism: Canadian Research Agenda, an international conference that was held in Toronto from Jan. 18 to 20, 2002. The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity and Health Canada co-sponsored the proceedings. Participants were drawn from a diverse cross-section of scientists, academics, policy makers, public health practitioners, military and industry personnel for an opportunity to learn, share experiences and foster an exchange of information. The goal of the conference was to generate ideas and actions to help shape Canada's research agenda in the biosecurity area and provide useful input into public policy. The objectives of the meeting were to seek answers to three key questions regarding biosecurity:
The conference was designed to gather input from leading national and international experts in five key areas that were felt to be important to the biosecurity research agenda. These areas were 1) viral agents, 2) bacterial agents, 3) pathogens in the food chain, 4) public health preparedness and response, and 5) vaccines and antimicrobials. Conference delegates debated issues in these key areas in breakout sessions.
We learned that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States currently focus most research efforts on Category A pathogens. Speakers provided insights into testing with animal models, advances in genomic analysis, DNA vaccine engineering and progress with rapid diagnostic testing. We discovered that the potential economic impact of agroterrorism could be enormous. More work must be done to integrate the research and surveillance efforts of human health, animal health, and food and water safety. In relation to public health response and preparedness, information was provided about Health Canada's Centre for Emergency Response and Preparedness, the need to build on existing public health capacity, and about the respective efforts in surveillance, identification and detection by Health Canada and the Defence R&D Canada-Suffield (DRDC Suffield).
Speakers and participants in the meeting discussed Canadian strengths, weaknesses, new research priorities and opportunities.
Canadian strengths:
Canada's weaknesses:
Canadian research priorities: At the breakout sessions, the meeting participants identified the following research priorities:
Special considerations: The participants identified the following for specific focus:
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
and Health Canada Conference on
Biological Terrorism: Canadian Research Agenda
January 18 - 20, 2002
Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel, Toronto, Ontario
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Introduction
In response to the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and the subsequent anthrax attacks on major centres in the United States, the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity and Health Canada co-sponsored an international conference titled Biological Terrorism: Canadian Research Agenda. As Dr. Bhagirath Singh, Scientific Director for the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity noted, "We have lost our innocence with regard to bioterrorism and [we] need to contemplate our role in this changed world." He stated that Canada must define its role in the global effort against bioterrorism, and that this conference represented the first step in achieving this goal.
The conference was held Friday, Jan. 18 through Sunday, Jan. 20, 2002, at Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel in Toronto. The objective of the meeting was to bring together a diverse group of Canadian and American scientists, academics, policy makers, public health organizers, and representatives from the military and industry to generate ideas and suggest possible actions that can be taken to help shape Canada's policies and research agenda with regard to bioterrorism.
In his welcome address on Friday evening, Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of CIHR, acknowledged many colleagues from the United States who were attending the conference. He stated that on Sept. 11, "Your tragedy was our tragedy." He noted that as well as sharing the North American continent, Canada also shares common values and overlapping history with the United States. Furthermore, both countries share a strong commitment to research in the pursuit of science to advance the human condition, and now to defend against biological pathogens that are accidentally or purposefully introduced into our communities.
Dr. Kevin Keough, Chief Scientist, Health Canada, informed the participants that in a November 2001 multilateral meeting on health security and bioterrorism, the Honourable Allan Rock and health ministers and secretaries from the G-7, Mexico and the European Union agreed to work collectively to strengthen our country's international response to bioterrorism and our public health preparedness and research capability in this area. He emphasized that the effort against terrorism is an important cause for collaboration, and that this conference will serve to help us formulate an effective national research program and to determine where Canada fits into the international research agenda.
The conference was structured around five key areas that were identified as important to the biosecurity agenda. Three leading national and international experts from each of the areas brought the conference participants up to date on the most recent developments in those areas. Speakers in Session I, which focused on the topic of Viral Agents, described the development of ways to detect and vaccinate against smallpox and other pox viruses. In Session II, detection, diagnosis and inhibition of Bacterial Agents were discussed. The transmission of Pathogens in the Food Chain and Agroterrorism were addressed in Session III. Representatives from Health Canada and Defence R&D Canada-Suffield (DRDC Suffield) reported on Public Health Preparedness and Response in Session IV. The development of Vaccines and Antimicrobials was the focus of Session V.
Panel presentations addressing these five key areas were held on Saturday, Jan. 19. The presentations were followed on Sunday by breakout sessions in which conference attendees sought to answer three questions put to them by the conference chair, Dr. Grant McFadden from the John P. Robarts Research Institute and The University of Western Ontario:
Opening Addresses
Following the welcome addresses, the conference opened on Friday evening with presentations by Dr. J. Meegan, U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. J. Hughes, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Atlanta, who provided an overview of how the events of September 2001were handled by their agencies and how the attacks changed U.S. perspectives on the threat of bioterrorism.
The NIH Research Agenda in Response to the Threat of Bioterrorism - Bioterrorism: A Clear and Present Danger
Dr. J. Meegan, U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Dr. Meegan noted that before September 11, research in this area was very limited. The program had begun to crystallize in 1998 as the U.S. recognized its vulnerability to bioterrorism, largely as a result of a number of national and international events including the Tylenol tampering in Chicago, the Oregon Salmonella poisonings, and the nerve gas attack in the Tokyo subway.
Dr. Meegan was the first of many speakers throughout the conference to refer to the U.S. CDC-designated Critical Category A Biological Agents which include:
Reviewing the research goals in the five key areas, he suggested that Canada could help in the international effort in the following ways:
Dr. Meegan pointed out that ultimately anthrax and smallpox are the major concerns. While for a time it was thought that only two stocks were available, in the U.S. and in Russia, it is now suspected that at least 10 other countries have smallpox stock. He stated that if smallpox re-emerges it will be more virulent than ever before and he also suggested that current vaccines are not likely to be sufficiently effective in a new outbreak. He concluded that while he expected that the master list of Category A agents will be changing as some pathogens are dealt with in the years ahead, others will re-emerge, leaving much work to be done in many critical areas.
CDC Perspective on Preparedness and Response to the Threat of Bioterrorism -
Dr. J. Hughes, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
Dr. James Hughes shared his experience with the recent anthrax attacks in the United States, noting that this outbreak "has taken on an unprecedented dimension."
He referred to the Category A agents introduced by the previous speaker, and suggested that because diseases caused by these pathogens have a high mortality rate and can be easily disseminated or transmitted from person to person, their underlying danger is their potential for major negative public health impact; that is, mass casualties may overwhelm health systems and also cause public panic and social disruption.
Dr. Hughes summarized the lessons learned from the events in the U.S. under the headings Competency, Capacity, Co-ordination, Communication and Consultation. Concerning competency, he noted that there is a need for new paradigms and skills such as forensic epidemiology, inductive reasoning, enhanced environmental microbiology expertise, particle physics and engineering expertise. He also stressed that improvement must be made in the capacity of U.S. Laboratory Response Network capabilities. Presently, laboratories are overwhelmed by specimens and need more Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) space. Information systems also need to be updated with more integrated databases and cross-laboratory interfacing. Co-ordination is required at all levels-local, state and national-and it can be improved by defining who is in charge. A proactive information management and distribution plan for communicating with the general public, media, health and public health providers, and policy makers must be developed. Finally, consultation with all key stakeholders including clinicians, scientists, public health and policy makers on areas such as the research agenda, communications, risk assessment, detection systems and future scenario testing is critical. Affected areas and key partners need to be involved and kept informed on a continual basis.
Panel Presentations
Saturday, Jan. 19, 2002
| Session I: | Viral Agents |
| Chair: | Dr. Grant McFadden, John P. Robarts Research Institute and University of Western Ontario |
| Co-Chairs: | Dr. D. Evans, University of Guelph Dr. M. Barry, University of Alberta |
The goal of the first panel was to examine the possible use of viral agents as weapons of terrorism. Smallpox in particular has had a more profound impact on human history than any other pathogen, having been responsible for more deaths than any other viral agent. Although it was officially eradicated in 1980, it can still present a threat today.
Dr. McFadden summarized what he considers to be the major strengths and weaknesses of Canada's ability to deal with viral outbreaks. Canada has an excellent pool of talented academics, a strong vaccine infrastructure, excellent high-level containment facilities in Winnipeg, and an integrated health care system. In terms of Canada's weaknesses, he noted that most research is academic and the vaccine agenda is largely driven by economics. While we do have the laboratory in Winnipeg, it is the only operational level 4 laboratory in Canada, which leaves us with little flexibility to respond to crises or epidemics.
The Smallpox Vaccine: A New Role, an Old Dilemma
Dr. M. Buller, St. Louis University
Dr. Mark Buller reviewed the biology of the variola virus. He argued that it may be possible to contain an outbreak of the virus due to its rather low transmissibility, the fact that vaccine can be administered after exposure, and the fact that the disease is not infectious until symptomatic. However, these observations are based on data collected in an environment where high levels of immunity and clinical alertness might be expected, so it is difficult to extrapolate to today's circumstances. He highlighted the challenge of making and testing superior attenuated vaccines. Several candidate strains were noted (LC16 and MVA), but the reality is that since most of the work with these vaccines was done more than 25 years ago, we know very little about smallpox vaccines from a modern immunological perspective. The only good correlate with "take" is the size of the vaccination scar. Future research must correlate disease (in animal models) and vaccination (in humans) with an advanced understanding of the immunological response to infection.
Updates on Aspects of the U.S. Smallpox Research Agenda
Dr. I. Damon, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dr. Inger Damon updated the audience on the status of U.S. smallpox research with a special focus on CDC activities. The work is subject to peer review by the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO). The U.S. research agenda covers molecular characterization (sequencing), antivirals, animal models, vaccine research and basic research involving chemokine receptors. Using data derived from an extensive sequencing program, Dr. Damon described experiments that are establishing nucleic acid-based tools for detecting and identifying orthopoxviruses. These DNA-based tests employ PCR and RFLP mapping methods and can, in conjunction with software tools, discriminate between different Variola strains as well as between Variola and other poxviruses. Other assays are being developed that rely upon protein-based methods. The current focus concerns production of monoclonal antibodies. Work is also ongoing to develop IgM capture methods capable of detecting recent poxvirus infections.
Variola Infection of Primates as a Model for Human Smallpox
Dr. P. Jahrling, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID)
Dr. Peter Jahrling summarized work at USAMRIID concerning the development of an animal model for smallpox. Vaccine and antiviral research depends on the demonstration of efficacy if the biologicals derived through this research are to be approved for human use. Such models can also address questions concerning disease progression and immunological responses using experimental tools not available 25 years ago. While aerosol delivery of a variola Yamada strain failed to produce disease in cynomologous monkeys, intravenous delivery of an India 7124 strain rapidly produced lethal disease with clinical features resembling the later stages of smallpox. It was argued that this model replicates to some degree the secondary viremia seen in human smallpox.
Data were presented showing how this disease model in conjunction with modern diagnostics (TaqMan PCR), immunology and molecular biology (DNA chip) methods can provide insights into disease progression. DNA chip methods, for example, detected viral interference in apoptosis, IL-18, IL-1beta, and TNF-alfa expression. Future experiments are intended to compare monkeypox with this Variola model as well as to examine the efficacy of Cidofovir.
| Session II: | Bacteriological Agents |
| Chair: | Dr. D. Low, Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto |
| Co-Chairs: | Dr. A. McGeer, Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto Dr. M.G. Bergeron, Université Laval |
Dr. Donald Low introduced this session by highlighting three critical issues in the area of bacteriological agents:
He noted that anthrax is generally seen as a homogeneous organism and that molecular techniques are required to help better categorize this agent. A vaccine is essential for preventative treatment. He reported on some of the progress made with antibiotics, suggesting that further research is required to improve mortality rates which have already dropped from 90 per cent to 50 per cent and appear to have stabilized at that rate.
Designing Inhibitors of Anthrax Toxin
Dr. J. Mogridge, University of Toronto
While cases of human anthrax are rare, the ability to deliver the spores in an aerosolized form and the high mortality rate associated with inhalational anthrax have led to the use of B. anthracis spores as a biological weapon. Dr. Jeremy Mogridge presented the results of his team's efforts to develop inhibitors that block two distinct steps in the intoxication pathway. The first inhibits the assembly of anthrax toxin by blocking the association of enzymatic components (EF and LF) to the PA63 heptamer. The second inhibits the binding of PA to cells. It is hoped that both these inhibitors will be developed into therapeutics that can be used in combination with antibiotics to treat cases of anthrax.
High Throughput Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms for Rapid and Unambiguous Characterization of Genetic Relations among Pathogenic Microbial Strains
Dr. J. Musser, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Dr. James Musser spoke of the benefits of molecular techniques in understanding the evolution of bacterial pathogens. He and his colleagues are conducting basic science research in conjunction with clinical research to enhance control of infectious agents, develop new vaccines and inform research in public health.
Dr. Musser reported on the genomic analysis conducted with SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms). SNP genotyping is useful for epidemiological purposes, providing the opportunity to address a population-based platform. Furthermore, SNP genotyping is advantageous because it is selectively neutral, minimally subject to convergence, and it is a good marker of evolution. Additionally, it can be stored as binary data that can be retrieved easily for analysis, and it can be compared between laboratories. All strains are readily assigned to genotypic groups and an SNP-based genetic framework is now a reality.
Dr. Musser noted that anthrax, Q fever and the plague are caused by organisms with restricted gene variation. As such, these agents would be suitable for SNP genotyping. In his closing comments he suggested that the demand for this type of genomic analysis by the public will grow as the latter begins to understand the full extent of its capabilities.
Rapid (< 1 hour) DNA-Based Diagnostic for Sporulated and Vegetative Bacillus anthracis Directly from Powders and Clinical Samples
Dr. M.G. Bergeron, Université Laval
Dr. Michel G. Bergeron presented on the rapid DNA-based diagnostic testing for anthrax that has been developed at his research centre in collaboration with the Department of National Defence and Infectio Diagnostic Inc. (IDI) in Québec City.
The objective was to develop simple and accurate assays for clinicians and to reduce the number of steps required to prepare clinical samples. He stressed that speed is of the essence in recognizing and treating infected patients since evidence clearly shows that prognosis improves with early treatment. Moreover, rapid identification of pathogens will guide health and/or military authorities to make the proper decisions as to the closing of public buildings and to giving prophylaxis or treatment to people exposed. Rapid identification will thus diminish and control public panic while providing strategic medical care.
Two PCR assays were developed: SYBR Green PCR and Real Time PCR (Molecular Beacon). Test results demonstrated that the B. anthracis assay is effective for the following reasons:
Dr. Bergeron concluded that the B. anthracis PCR assay is difficult for bioterrorists to circumvent because it is specific. Furthermore, essential target genes are located on three genetic elements. Scientists can therefore pinpoint genetic alterations, such as bioengineering alterations made for weaponization purposes.
| Session III: | Pathogens in the Food Chain |
| Chair: | Dr. A. Wildeman, University of Guelph |
| Co-Chairs: | Dr. P. Wright, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Dr. C. Gyles, Ontario Veterinary College |
Dr. Wildeman introduced this session by emphasizing the importance of discussing agriculture in the food chain. He noted that in this domain multiple risks converge: human fear, environmental, animal health, human health and economic loss. Negative economics may turn out to be one of the greatest risks of bioterrorism.
Dr. Wildeman stated that we make the following assumptions regarding pathogens in the food chain: food and water are safe; surveillance is practiced; false positives are detected; trained scientists and veterinarians are available in the numbers that we need; and state-of-the-art veterinary hospitals that are interfaced with human health are established to detect and catch diseases in the food chain. However, he stressed that much work needs to be done to make sure that all of these elements are in place and working together synchronously. Our greatest challenge is to ensure that the ongoing dialogue between veterinary schools and human health enterprise continues.
Transmission of Biological Agents through the Food Chain
Dr. Scott McEwen, University of Guelph
Dr. Scott McEwen presented on key areas related to transmission of biological agents through the food chain. Our vulnerability to this type of bioterrorism is increased by the ease with which bioterrorists can acquire pathogens and deliver them using low-tech mechanisms; and by the difficulty of detection of outbreaks and the low risk to bioterrorists in handling and administering these biological agents. Other specific vulnerabilities include the complexity of the increasingly centralized food system, the recycling of feed ingredients and the scale of the international trade in food products.
Dr. McEwen noted that many safeguards are already established and that the prevention of transmission must be the key goal. He added that detection with robust surveillance systems, and preparedness and response systems similar to those in place for incidents from non-food sources, must be established. Response systems must include rapid containment, quarantine of animals and destruction of contaminated foods.
He assessed Canadian research capacity in this area as "fair to good." Strengths include dedicated, productive food and water safety researchers as well as recent initiatives such as Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grants and Canada Research Chairs.
However, he also cited the lack of national focus and a co-ordinated approach to the problem as a weakness in the system. Other challenges he noted point to systemic weaknesses at the college and university level. For instance, Canada has only four veterinary colleges, two of which do not have full AVMA accreditation, and many facilities and research staff are under-supported. He also identified a need for better integration of human and animal health research and surveillance.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. McEwen recommended the following research priorities:
Biosecurity of Agricultural Systems
Dr. Linda Logan, Texas Animal Health Commission
Dr. Linda Logan pointed out that the size of the agricultural enterprise in the U.S.-over $1 trillion and 24.3 million workers-makes it a significant target of bioterrorists.
She estimates at least 12 countries still have offensive bioweapons programs against agriculture, which creates a great need for biosecurity and biocontainment. With the increase in Category A zoonotic agents, veterinarians are an important part of the diagnostic team. They should be trained to recognize foreign animal disease and should be prepared to be on location within 48 hours. Rapid diagnosis is essential for the effective treatment and containment of the pathogen.
Dr. Logan stressed the need for a NAFTA Animal Disease Emergency Response plan. Because of the proximity and permeability of their borders, Canada, Mexico and the U.S. require a more co-ordinated tripartite response. A hypothetical tripartite scenario to test preparedness and response revealed that the present reporting systems are inadequate, and data obtained from the Geographic Information System (GIS) and other sources are limited. Emphasizing the need for partnership, Dr. Logan urged the creation of prevention, preparedness, response and recovery systems. Improved communication at the national and international levels and installation of a government indemnity program are also required.
She made the following recommendations for research and infrastructure:
Dr. Logan also suggested a very critical role for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). She noted that although Canada has the most sophisticated animal containment laboratory, researchers have not been able to work on foot-and-mouth disease. Canadian expertise would be invaluable in this area. Canada's assistance with GIS and tracking would be useful as well.
In closing, she identified the following immediate goals: learn how to best control either natural or intentional outbreaks, continue to conduct challenge exercises, improve public awareness and improve biosecurity in food lots and swine operations.
Agroterrorism
Dr. C. Brown, University of Georgia
Dr. Corrie Brown discussed the potential negative impact of agroterrorism, which is defined as chemical or biological terrorism directed towards agriculture. She provided estimates of the potential economic damage to trade that an outbreak of Office International des Epizooties (OIE)-designated List A diseases could precipitate. The recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in England, for example, cost the U.S. $8 billion.
The OIE defines List A diseases as transmissible diseases that have the potential for hazardous and rapid spread and are of serious socioeconomic consequence. Fifteen diseases are currently on List A, including foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, Newcastle disease and Rift Valley fever.
Dr. Brown noted that "the amount of economic damage from a List A disease is directly proportional to the time it takes to make the first diagnosis." Increased awareness and rapid diagnostic testing are required. She pointed out that vaccination against List A diseases is not practical because although it may protect against clinical disease, trade embargoes will persist.
Dr. Brown recommended that veterinary education must be more closely tied with international issues and with veterinary regulation.
Dr. Brown concluded by encouraging research on animal diseases, building on expertise in molecular epidemiology and advising Canadians to "take advantage of your Winnipeg facility which is viewed as the most advanced facility in the world for this type of research." She emphasized that awareness and rapid response are the most effective mechanisms to limit the damage of agroterrorism.
| Session IV: | Public Health Preparedness and Response |
| Chair: | Dr Frank Plummer, Health Canada National Microbiology Laboratory |
| Co-Chairs: | Dr. H. Artsob, Health Canada Dr. M. Fearon, Ontario Ministry of Health |
Dr. Frank Plummer opened this session by posing three questions:
Dr. Plummer presented an organizational chart that illustrated the responsibilities of a Canadian response to natural and intentional outbreaks. He noted that there are five divisions within Health Canada's Population and Public Health Branch that have a direct role in preparedness and response. He also described the three-tiered Canadian Laboratory Response Network: Tier 1 deals with local hospital, small provincial public health and private laboratories; Tier 2 is responsible for regional and larger provincial public health laboratories; and Tier 3 has jurisdiction over federal laboratories (in Winnipeg and at DRDC Suffield).
He added that Canada is in a good position to contribute globally, particularly with the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health in Winnipeg. This facility is seen as a unique national and international resource for combating a global problem.
Issues in Public Health Response in Canada
Dr. R. St. John, Health Canada
Dr. Ron St. John described the mandate and operations of the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response that was established by Health Canada in July 2000.
He reminded us that at least one major natural disaster occurs each year in Canada. We therefore need to be prepared for disasters stemming from both natural and deliberate causes. The public health principles for investigation and control of an intentional outbreak are similar to those for a natural disaster.
He saw key public health issues as falling into either the realm of preparedness or the realm of response as follows:
PreparednessResponse
Rapid Detection Technology
Dr. K. Harding, Defence R&D Canada-Suffield (DRDC Suffield)
Dr. Kent Harding reported on advances in the strategies and technology that the military have developed to detect and identify biological agents. He noted that military biodetection requirements have driven technologies for rapid detection and identification; however, fundamental technologies are equally applicable to civilian bioterrorism needs.
DRDC Suffield has been referring to the Johns Hopkins Expert Panel Threat List that is similar to the Category A list issued by CDC. He complimented the CDC on its receptiveness to both Health Canada and DRDC Suffield, allowing the latter to visit and participate in CDC laboratory activities and meetings. He recommended further cooperation with the U.S. in development of protocols and procedures.
Dr. Harding informed us that Canada has the only integrated field detection and identification unit with multiple diagnostic capabilities and accelerated response times. Today it is possible to have a 15-second response time from point of release to recognition.
Dr. Harding recommended that Canadian initiatives focus on developing genomic targets for a full spectrum of biowarfare agents, improved immunoreagents, host response markers for early detection of exposure and rapid diagnosis, rapid sampling processing mechanisms, assay protocols and assay validation through multicentre trials.
He concluded with the following advice for a Canadian bioterrorism research strategy:
Surveillance Needs
Dr. D. Mowat, Health Canada Centre for Surveillance Co-ordination
Dr. David Mowat reported on the status of public health surveillance in Canada. Health surveillance is one of the five key functions of Health Canada's Population and Public Health Branch and as such, the monitoring for biosecurity is an extension of its current role. He defined health surveillance as "the ongoing, systematic use of routinely collected health data to guide public health action."
He added that research is a priority for the public health branch, particularly with regard to health problems resulting from exposure to hazardous biological or chemical agents. The aspects of the public health branch's infrastructure that are already supporting research include its Geographic Information System and its knowledge transfer and management capabilities. Dr. Mowat's area of interest is in trying to build an infrastructure that will allow users to access data and analytical tools, and produce maps in the field, from anywhere in the world.
The Population and Public Health Branch is developing standards to address the threats posed by Category A agents through its biosurveillance mechanisms.
Dr. Mowat recommended that ongoing research in surveillance should address:
| Session V: | Vaccines and Antimicrobials |
| Chair: | Dr. L. Babiuk, Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan |
| Co-Chairs: | Dr. R.P. Sekaly, Canadian Network of Vaccines and Immunotherapies and University of Montreal Dr. L. Barreto, Aventis Pasteur Ltd. |
Dr. Babiuk introduced the final panel presentation. He pointed out that vaccines have saved more lives than all other prophylactic interventions and have helped to eradicate diseases such as smallpox.
However, in spite of these advances, when bioterrorism attacks occur we don't always have the time to develop a vaccine response. He recommended more immune modulators to enhance our capacity for rapid response.
Through the Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics (CANVAC), Canada's Centres of Excellence, and private industry, we already have the tools to improve the efficacy of our vaccines, making Canada well situated to contribute globally to developments in this area. Dr. Babiuk stressed the importance of forging links among researchers, academics, industry and policy makers to establish a culture of collaboration and co-operation.
Reinforcing the messages of previous speakers, Dr. Babiuk closed by referring to the need to have good animal model systems in which to study pathogenesis and to help develop a safer delivery system.
CpG DNA for Protection against Biowarfare Agents through Enhancement of Innate and Adaptive Immunity
Dr. H. Davis, Coley Pharmaceutical Group
Dr. Davis has requested that the summary of her presentation NOT be included with the proceedings.
Engineering Vaccines for Agents of Bioterrorism
Dr. David Weiner, University of Pennsylvania
Dr. David Weiner reported on DNA vaccines and their flexibility, simplicity and safety in generating immune responses that are important to antiviral defences.
Dr. Weiner identified a serious issue concerning outbreak-driven immunization with current live smallpox vaccines in that a rising number of individuals in North America are at increased risk of experiencing significant adverse effects. These individuals include people who have immune disorders or are on immunosuppressive therapies, people with eczema and people with CNS disorders. Individuals being treated for cancers, infants, and pregnant women are also at risk. He concluded that safer vaccines are needed.
Dr. Weiner described DNA vaccines for bioterrorism. He reported that there are many different platforms and that researchers are looking for other vectors to develop DNA vaccines. He noted that there are a variety of immune responses and different delivery routes available.
He made the following recommendations for future strategies:
Short term:
Longer term:
Dr. Weiner concluded that bioterrorism is a legitimate concern; therefore, safety when working with current vaccines and the lack of vaccines for many important targets are also concerns. Due to such safety and manufacturing issues, DNA vaccine strategies are important for the development of new vaccines for agents of bioterrorism. There are specific advantages to using DNA vaccines to combat bioterrorism. Specifically, it is not necessary to generate bioterrorism material to generate the vaccine, and therefore safety and manufacturing are not compromised.
Role of Industry in Responding to Bioterrorism: Example, Smallpox
Dr. Luis Barreto, Aventis Pasteur Ltd.
Dr. Barreto provided an overview of the global and Canadian vaccine industry, describing Canada's history in the vaccine industry as well as its leadership role in smallpox eradication. He noted that Canada is fortunate both to have a vibrant biotechnology industry that could serve in vaccine development for biosecurity and to be well connected to the global vaccine network.
Dr. Barreto suggested potential industry roles for taking action to contain current smallpox threats. These include:
Dr. Barreto described the roles of government, academia and industry in the development and ultimately production of vaccines, pointing out when each player is involved, the elapsed timeline from discovery and preclinical development to post-market phase, and the points when decisions can be made for capacity increase. He noted that it takes about 10 to 15 years to develop a vaccine. His key message was that this is a long, slow process that takes a great deal of lead time. In today's world, manufacturers need to meet stringent compliance regulations at every step to ensure safety. Production decisions need to be made well in advance of when the product is actually needed.
Dr. Barreto provided recommendations for both government and industry roles in vaccine development for biosecurity, stressing that both sectors are responsible for defining specific needs and ensuring communication remains open.
Dr. Barreto concluded with recommendations for how public/private partnerships could be most effective in responding to biosecurity threats. He suggested collaboration on the following issues:
The Panel sessions adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
Bioweapons, Microbiologists, and Arms Control: The Canadian Experience
Dr. Donald Avery, University of Western Ontario
At Saturday evening's reception, Dr. Donald Avery presented an overview of the influence of bioweapons and bioterrorism on Canada's defence and foreign policies in the past, present and future. In 1925, Canada signed the Geneva Protocol which banned the use of poison gasses, but allowed countries to support research and development in biological warfare, and to use chemical and biological weapons in retaliation. During the Second World War, Canada collaborated with America and Britain in pioneering bioweapons research and development. In 1970, Canada joined other nations in efforts to ban biological warfare, but still reserved the right to use chemical weapons in retaliation, and to do research for defensive purposes both to protect troops facing possible chemical or biological attacks and to develop effective detection systems.
Today Canada remains committed to arms control. Since 1991, Canadian diplomats have been pushing for improvements in the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), entered into force in March 1975, in order to prevent an arms race. Seventeen nations including Iran, Iraq and Libya now have bioweapon capabilities. Although most countries have accepted the Verification Protocol, a legally binding protocol aimed at strengthening the BTWC by providing safeguards such as inventory declarations and on-site inspection, the U.S. has unilaterally rejected it, arguing that the proposed system is seriously flawed and will not detect cheaters. This debate places Canada in a difficult position as it both supports the Protocol and is linked with the U.S. in defensive biological warfare research. It is difficult to predict how Canada will reconcile these priorities; however, with the increased possibility of large-scale bioterrorist attacks, Canadian scientists must continue to make contributions to counter the threat of bioterrorism both nationally and internationally.
Sunday Jan. 20, 2002
Summary of Themes Emerging from Breakout Sessions
Five breakout groups were struck to discuss the five major theme areas of the conference. Participants in the breakout groups proposed the following answers to the three questions posed by Dr. McFadden at the beginning of the conference.
1. What unique contributions can Canadian scientists make?
Canada's integrated national health care system provides the platform upon which many of our research strengths grow. A solid history of collaboration among our government, public health, academic, industry, and agriculture sectors has given us the opportunity to do even more work than could be accomplished individually by the members of these branches. The existence of national initiatives such as the Networks of Centres of Excellence in areas of viral, vaccine and biotechnology research (CBDN, CANVAC, Cangene, and Infectio Diagnostic Inc.) as well as the presence of a global vaccine manufacturer (Aventis Pasteur Ltd.) provide the infrastructure needed to support an excellent pool of talented and receptive researchers in various health research areas. In broad terms, Canada's major strengths have been identified in the following areas:
Specific examples of these strengths include the Canadian integrated field detection and identification unit (DRDC Suffield), which has multiple diagnostic capabilities and accelerated response times; and the level 4 microbiological containment facilities at the National Microbiology Laboratory at the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health in Winnipeg that are recognized as world-class. In the agricultural sector, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has a high security laboratory in Winnipeg with the capability and expertise to work with foreign and zoonotic diseases in large animals under both level 3 and 4 containment conditions.
2. How can Canada best interact with international research efforts?
As a first principle, controlling bioterrorism must be recognized as an international effort. It is within that global response that Canada should try to find its unique niche. Canada should target three or four areas of strength, build on those, and through them contribute to the international agenda.
The strengths identified in response to Question 1 put Canada in a vital position to contribute to global initiatives against bioterrorism. On the simplest level, we can carry on with procedures that have already established Canada in the international research community. We can continue to welcome visitors to Canadian facilities, enhance existing personal links between scientists, continue to collaborate on ongoing investigations in areas such as hemorrhagic fever and pox and participate in the global surveillance of emerging infections.
To improve these existing collaborations, the Canadian research community needs to continue to work closely with the NIH and the CDC in the U.S. to develop joint programs and work towards greater standardization of procedures and protocols to achieve consistency in the interpretation of results. We should also pursue integrative research with the government and DRDC Suffield, and leverage the military's well-established research links, particularly with the U.S. and the U.K. in areas such as smallpox and brucella.
In the agricultural sector, we must continue to integrate defence research centres with the U.S., the U.K., and other NATO countries as focus shifts to homeland defence against terrorism, including bioterrorism. We should promote joint U.S./Canada training programs in human pathogens (animal, plant and food), and work towards the development of a NAFTA Animal Disease Emergency Response Plan for a more co-ordinated tripartite response among Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
3. What specific research initiatives can be recommended?
The overall goal should be an "integrated program of research that can advance the research agenda in biosecurity." Several starting principles and criteria were suggested with respect to a research focus. Primarily, it was agreed that the research should focus on biosecurity, not bioterrorism. The research should be broad-based and multidisciplinary. We must build on existing capabilities and expertise to bolster all areas of research. Investigating all elements of infectious diseases and their risks to public health will enhance our response to both natural and intentional outbreaks.
One of the most common themes that emerged from both the panel presentations and the breakout sessions was the importance of awareness and rapid response to limiting the damage of bioterrorism. It is critical that Canada develop rapid and sensitive methods for detection, surveillance and characterization of viral and bacterial pathogens in humans and animals. Furthermore, we must develop strategies for the prevention, prophylaxis, preparedness, response and recovery from exposure to infectious agents.
If Canada is to be effective in its endeavours against bioterrorism, it must build on existing strengths and relationships to promote stronger links among the areas of health, research, defence and surveillance in both human and animal sectors. We must enhance research in the education and training of infectious diseases experts in human and animal health sectors and in the ranks of front-line respondents; and increase our capacity to conduct basic research into mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions and molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis, colonization and transmission of food-borne and enteric pathogens. Finally, it is essential that we bolster Canada's capacity to detect pathogens in the food chain and react quickly to reduce the threat of agroterrorism.
Summary and Recommendations
Dr. Grant McFadden moderated the final session of the meeting and began by reminding the audience that preparing for bioterrorism actually falls within the realm of strengthening our health agenda. As such, he suggested that we name this a "biosecurity agenda" and that the report that comes forward from this conference be used as the platform for the agenda's recommendations.
Dr. Donald Low (Chair, Session 2-Bacteriology) discussed both the strengths and weaknesses of the Canadian response system that were identified over the two days of the conference. In particular, he acknowledged Canadian expertise in the area, and intellectual and physical capacity in specialised areas. However, he also noted significant infrastructure gaps and the need for more level 3 and level 4 laboratories, improved surveillance, improved transportation and handling of dangerous materials, and enhanced education and training of front-line respondents.
In terms of action, he suggested that we should create an inventory of the resources we have and leverage the resources that already exist. He stated that we must give greater priority to research in rapid diagnosis, including mechanisms and processes to relay tests and techniques out to the front line. He further suggested that we focus our research efforts on pathogenesis, genomics and vaccines.
However, Dr. Low also noted that biosecurity is ultimately a Health Canada agenda, not a CIHR agenda. His concern was that while emphasis on biosecurity is important, it cannot be allowed to hijack the research agenda. He stressed that biosecurity needs to be one part of the overall research agenda rather than a separate area of research, and offered a number of strategies to accomplish the latter objective:
Dr. Kevin Keough (Chief Scientist, Health Canada, Conference cosponsor) supported an earlier recommendation to get a better understanding of what we are already doing in Canada and to define how these activities can be rolled into the biosecurity agenda.
He summarized the consistent messages he heard throughout the conference as follows:
He added his own message, stating that biosecurity research should include health services, population health, and behavioural sciences research.
Closing Remarks
Dr. Alan Bernstein (President, CIHR)
Dr. Bernstein thanked participants for challenging each other and for generating robust responses to the three key questions that the meeting was designed to address.
He added his personal observation that a major challenge we face is overcoming the "silo syndrome"-dozens of well-intentioned organizations and agencies working in isolation to address their part of the problem. As an immediate first step, he recommended the need for greater communication among both individuals and organizations working in infectious disease and biosecurity.
Dr. Bernstein also recommended that a national initiative be established that would have multiple components, in some instances requiring the launching of new research and in other cases leveraging initiatives that are already underway. Such an initiative would require extensive partnerships and could be facilitated through a number of tools including, but not limited to, open competition, RO3, Centres of Excellence, Interdisciplinary Health Research Teams, strategic initiatives, and New Emerging Teams. In keeping with the CIHR mandate, such an initiative would need to be an integrated health agenda extending across the four major themes of health research: biomedical, clinical, population health, and health services research. Dr. Bernstein provided a sample illustration of the type of elements that could form part of this initiative, which is represented in the figure below.
Dr. Bernstein supported earlier recommendations to confirm our strengths and weaknesses, to create a practical inventory of current relevant initiatives and infrastructure and to mount a strategic initiative that would leverage existing expertise and advance the agenda. He emphasized that this initiative will ultimately need champions to transform it "from words to action."
Dr. Bernstein proposed that to follow up on this conference, a task force or steering committee be created with representation from the government, Health Canada, CIHR, other funding partners and other appropriate experts to continue the dialogue that was initiated here.
In closing, he once again thanked the organizing committee, the speakers, chairs, co-chairs and participants for an excellent scientific symposium and for their energy and commitment in undertaking discussion of such a complex subject of such global impact and significance. He also thanked the media for their attendance and reinforced the need for effective communication and knowledge transfer to the public.
Appendices
Biographical sketches for speakers, chairs and co-chairs
DR. HARVEY ARTSOB, Health Canada
Co-Chair: Public Health, Preparedness and Response
Dr. Harvey Artsob joined Health Canada in 1977 and is currently chief of the Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens program at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. Dr. Artsob received his PhD from McGill in 1973 and worked for the Fisheries Research Board in Halifax prior to joining Health Canada. Dr. Artsob has held cross-appointments in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Toronto and the Department of Pathology at the University of Guelph, and is currently an adjunct professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology at the University of Manitoba. In 1995, Dr. Artsob was awarded the travelling lecturership of the Canadian Society of Microbiologists. Dr. Artsob has over 100 refereed publications in the field of zoonotic diseases covering such topics as arboviruses (St. Louis encephalitis, California encephalitis, western equine encephalitis, eastern equine encephalitis, Powassan, dengue and West Nile), Lyme disease, hantaviruses, Q fever, leptospirosis, tularensis, plague and Ebola. Dr. Artsob played an integral role in the establishment and staffing of Canada's first level 4 laboratory. Dr Artsob has served as consultant and advisor to the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre in Trinidad, undertaken dengue consultations in Cuba on behalf of the International Development Research Cooperation, collaborated on a study in Shanghai on arbovirus encephalitis in the People's Republic of China, and has participated in a World Health Organization-sponsored study in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa, aimed at determining the natural cycle of Ebola virus. Dr. Artsob has served on a hantavirus task force for the Pan American Health Organization and was part of an Ebola Working Group for the World Health Organization. He belongs to several scientific societies, is a member of the Executive Council of the American Committee of Arbovirology, serves on the Board of Directors of the Stanier Institute and is the newly elected president of the International Conference on Diseases in Nature Communicable to Man. Dr. Artsob recently chaired a Working Group on Laboratory Response to a Bioterrorist Event and is currently co-chair of a subcommittee on bioterrorism that reports to the Canadian Laboratory Public Health Forum.
DR. LORNE BABIUK, University of Saskatchewan
Chair: Vaccines and Antimicrobials
Dr. Babiuk is the director of the Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) and the Canada Research Chair in Vaccinology in Saskatoon, Sask. Under his direction, VIDO has become internationally recognized for its role in the use of biotechnology to develop veterinary vaccines. The world's first genetically engineered vaccine for animal species was developed at VIDO. Dr. Babiuk has held prestigious national and international awards for excellence in research and for transferring research into the commercial arena including an NSERC chair in biotechnology, a Canadian Society of Microbiology Award, and a Xerox-Canada Forum Award. As a member of CIHR's Scientific Advisory Board, he served on the Board of Directors for companies involved in commercializing biological research, and as a consultant to Genetech, Molecular Genetics Inc., CIBA-GIEGY, and BIOSTAR Inc. He has conducted due diligence studies for investors and companies regarding the commercial potential of specific scientific proposals. He has mentored over 50 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have obtained positions in industry, academia and government. He has served as a member of many grant and government committees and as a reviewer for various scientific journals, as well as serving on general editorial boards. He has published over 350 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 70 book chapters and reviews, and is the holder of 18 issued patents and 14 patents pending. His special areas of research are in molecular virology, vaccinology, immunology, and viral pathogenesis with emphasis on bovine respiratory and enteric viral infections. His recent interest has been in novel vaccine development, in delivery to induce mucosal immunity, and in helping set science policy in Canada.
DR. LUIS BARRETO, Aventis Pasteur Ltd.
Co-Chair: Vaccines and Antimicrobials Speaker
Dr. Luis Barreto is vice-president of Public Policy for Aventis Pasteur Ltd. in Canada. He joined Aventis Pasteur in 1987 and has served as the director and vice-president of Medical and Clinical Affairs as well as vice-president of Medical and Clinical & Regulatory Affairs for Aventis Pasteur Ltd. In addition, he has a corporate role as the director of International Public Health Affairs for Aventis Pasteur on a global basis.
Dr. Barreto was born in Goa, India. He completed his MBBS degree at St. John's Medical College in Bangalore and his MD in community medicine from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Sewagram. Dr. Barreto immigrated to Canada in 1981 where he completed his Masters of Health Sciences (M.H.Sc.) in community health and epidemiology, and training towards his fellowship in community medicine at the University of Toronto. Prior to moving to Canada, he was a lecturer at the Ross Institute Unit of Occupational Health and assistant professor in community health and epidemiology at St. John's Medical College in Bangalore. In Canada, he worked for two years as an epidemiologist for the Government of the Northwest Territories, where he conducted the first Canadian Haemophilus influenzae type b studies among the Inuit. He has carried out clinical trials in Canada, Europe and internationally with Haemophilus, polio and acellular pertussis vaccines as well as various combination vaccines, and has published many articles on these topics. He has been responsible for the introduction of various combination vaccines with DPT, Haemophilus and polio in Canada and various parts of the world. Most recently, he was responsible for the introduction of acellular pertussis vaccines in many countries, and the Acellular Pertussis Combination Pentavalent Vaccine (PENTACELTM) in Canada.
Dr. Barreto has a keen interest in international health with a focus on vaccinology, and represents Aventis Pasteur in international organizations including the World Health Organization, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), the Children's Vaccine Program (CVP) and the World Bank. Dr. Barreto serves on Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Program/Advisory Committee on Management and represents BIOTECanada on the Working Group on Price Review Issues of Patented Medicine Prices Review Board.
DR. MICHELE BARRY, University of Alberta
Co-Chair: Viral Agents
Michele Barry received her B.Sc. Hons. (Microbiology) and her PhD (Biochemistry) from the University of Saskatchewan in 1991. She joined Dr. Grant McFadden's research group as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Alberta where she studied poxvirus immune evasion strategies. After three years in Dr. McFadden's laboratory she continued her postdoctoral training with Dr. Christopher Bleackley, also in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Alberta, in the area of cytotoxic T cell-induced apoptotic death. In 1999, she joined the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology as an assistant professor at the University of Alberta. She is a member of the American Society for Microbiology and is an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Scholar. Her research interests include the study of poxvirus immune evasion strategies with a particular interest in viral anti-apoptotic mechanisms.
DR. MICHEL BERGERON, Université Laval
Co-Chair: Bacteriological Agents
Speaker
Dr. Michel G. Bergeron is professor and chairman of the Division of Microbiology and of the Infectious Diseases Research Centre of Laval University in Québec City. He received his MD in 1968 from Laval University. Following his speciality training in internal medicine at McGill University and in infectious diseases and microbiology at Tufts University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Bergeron founded the Infectious Diseases Research Centre of Laval University in 1974. Today, the Centre is composed of more than 240 researchers and research personnel, making it one of the largest infectious diseases research centres in North America. Recently Dr. Bergeron developed innovative DNA-based tests that allow the specific identification of pathogens and their antibiotic resistance genes directly from a clinical sample in 30 to 45 minutes instead of two to three days.
Dr. Bergeron is the author or co-author of more than 300 scientific publications and has given more than 400 presentations on his work at different universities and international meetings. He is on the editorial board of national and international journals and is chair of the Board of the Canadian Foundation Louis Pasteur. Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Dr. Bergeron has received many awards including the Québec Emeritas Physicians' Medal and the Canadian MEDEC Award for medical achievement. Dr. Bergeron has been president of three Canadian professional and research societies and of the Inter-American Society of Chemotherapy, and has chaired several international conferences. Dr. Bergeron was involved in the establishment of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). He is also a member of the Science Advisory Board of Health Canada and the Institute of Infection and Immunity Institute Advisory Board.
DR. CORRIE BROWN, University of Georgia
Speaker
Corrie Brown received her B.Sc. in animal behaviour from McGill University and her DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph (1981). She completed a combined residency/PhD in comparative pathology at the University of California at Davis. Board certification (ACVP) and PhD were both attained in 1986. Briefly, she was an assistant professor of pathology at Louisiana State University before joining the U.S. Department of Agriculture at Plum Island, where, as head of the pathology section, she specialized in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of foreign animal diseases. In 1996, she joined the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine as professor and head of the Department of Veterinary Pathology. She currently serves as co-ordinator of International Veterinary Medicine for the College of Veterinary Medicine. Her professional interests are in infectious diseases of food-producing animals, emerging diseases, and international veterinary medicine. She has published or presented over 250 scientific papers and has served on numerous federal and industrial panels regarding infectious and emerging diseases. She has testified to Congress on issues involving agroterrorism and is a member of the Secretary of Agriculture's Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases.
DR. MARK BULLER, St. Louis University
Speaker
Mark Buller received his B.Sc. (Microbiology) from the University of British Columbia in 1971 and his PhD (Virology) from the Institute of Virology, Glasgow in 1975. His postdoctoral research in virology was completed at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. He did research as a visiting scientist in the Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. from 1982 to 1989 when he became the head of a poxvirus pathogenesis group. He continued as head of that group until 1994 when he moved to St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo. as professor, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. In 1988, he received the National Institutes of Health Award of Merit for conducting an innovative research program on virus pathogenesis. He is on the editorial review board for several scientific journals and is currently the chair of several committees.
DR. INGER DAMON, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Speaker
Inger Damon received her BA from Amherst College (1984), and MD/PhD from the University of Connecticut Health Center in 1992. Upon completion of medical residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1995, she trained in infectious diseases at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH and subsequently joined the laboratory of Bernard Moss PhD, MD. In 1999, she joined the Poxvirus Section at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She continues to study the host/pathogen relationships of poxviruses, and is involved in the research activities of the U.S. smallpox research agenda. Currently she is chief of the Poxvirus Section.
DR. HEATHER DAVIS, Coley Pharmaceutical Group
Speaker
Heather L. Davis obtained her PhD in anatomy in 1982 from the University of Western Ontario, London, Ont., winning awards for the most outstanding PhD candidate at UWO and the most outstanding PhD candidate in anatomy in Canada. Following a postdoctoral fellowship in biochemistry at UWO, Dr. Davis held the position of assistant professor in the Department of Anatomy at McGill University, Montreal, Que. for five years (1984 to 1989). After two years as Director of Education for L'Association Française contre les Myopathies (French Muscular Dystrophy Organization) in Paris, France, Dr. Davis returned to Canada and worked for 10 years as associate professor and then professor (1998), at the University of Ottawa. During that time she was also a principal investigator at the Loeb Health Research Institute (now known as the Ottawa Health Research Institute). In 1996, Dr. Davis was one of the scientific co-founders of the Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. and served as Director of Vaccine Development from 1996-2001, at which time she joined the company full-time as Vice-President of Pharmaceutical Development and managing director of Coley Pharmaceutical Group Canada.
DR. DAVID EVANS, University of Guelph
Co-Chair: Viral Agents
David Evans received his B.Sc. Hon. and his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Alberta (1982). His postdoctoral research was conducted at UC Berkeley (1982-84) and Harvard (1984-87) with Drs. S. Linn and R. Kolodner. He joined the Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics at the University of Guelph in 1987 where he currently holds the rank of professor. In 1998 he was appointed acting chair and then chair of Molecular Biology & Genetics. Dr. Evans' research primarily concerns the biology of poxviruses with a particular emphasis on the biochemical and genetic properties of poxvirus DNA replication and recombination processes. Other areas of active research include viral genomics, reactive oxygen defences, and the development of DNA chip-based viral detection technologies. The author of some 40 research publications, he has patented and commercialized methods in which Vaccinia recombinases can be used in molecular cloning. He is a member of several professional societies and currently also serves on a number of federal and provincial grant review panels, research committees, and management boards. Aside from his administrative and research activities, Dr. Evans has been closely involved in the development of the University of Guelph genomics facilities and is also frequently called upon to give public lectures concerning issues surrounding biotechnology.
DR. MARGARET FEARON, Ontario Ministry of Health
Co-Chair: Public Health, Preparedness and Response
Dr. Margaret Fearon received her B.Sc. Hons. (Biology and Psychology) from Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. in 1976. She continued her education in Ireland where she received an MB, B.Ch., Ba.O., FRCP & SI from The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. She received an FRCP (Medical Microbiology) in 1988 from the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. Dr. Fearon has been assistant professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto since 1994, and medical microbiologist for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Laboratories Branch since 1991. Prior to 1991, she was Associate Staff Virologist at The Hospital for Sick Children (1989-1991); courtesy staff, Department of Clinical Laboratories, Women's College Hospital (1989-1991); and Associate Staff Bacteriologist at The Hospital for Sick Children (1988-1989). She has received the Amethyst Award for Outstanding Achievements by Ontario Public Servants, 1994 (HIV Laboratory); the Goals Award for Excellence in Laboratory Service 1994 (HIV Laboratory); the ACE Award for Outstanding Achievements by Ontario Public Servants 2002 (Bioterrorism Response); and the Goals Award for Excellence in Laboratory Service 2002 (Bioterrorism Response). She is a member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Ontario Medical Association, the Canadian Medical Association, the American Society for Microbiology, the Canadian Association for HIV Research, the Canadian Society for Microbiology, and the Canadian Association for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. She currently sits on the National Pandemic Influenza Planning Committee and the Provincial Working Group on Pandemic Influenza. She is co-chair of the National Working Group on Laboratory Response to Bioterrorism along with Harvey Artsob.
DR. KENT HARDING, Defence R&D Canada-Suffield
Speaker
Dr. Kent Harding is chief scientist at the Defence R&D Canada-Suffield (DRDC Canada). Dr. Harding has been at DRDC Suffield since 1993, when he was appointed head of the medical countermeasures section. He was appointed to his current position in July 1999. Prior to moving to DRDC Suffield, he was involved in various laboratory efforts in radiation biology and as a research co-ordinator in environmental medicine, all in Ottawa for defence research applications. Much of the research work was conducted during secondments to NRC Biological Sciences and to the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. Dr. Harding holds a PhD from Queen's University (1977) in cell biology and gastrointestinal physiology. His primary research work has centred on the mechanisms and mitigation of post-injury inflammatory processes and on the identification and development of anti-emetic drugs. He has also been involved in wide-ranging studies of the effects, detection and mitigation of radiation, chemical and biological hazards. He is currently adjunct professor, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Calgary.
DR. JAMES HUGHES, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Speaker
Dr. Hughes received his BA in 1966 and MD in 1971 from Stanford University. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Washington and a fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of Virginia. He is board certified in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and preventive medicine. He first joined CDC as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer in 1973. During his CDC career, he has worked primarily in the areas of food-borne disease and infection control in health care settings. He became director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases in 1992. The Center is currently working to address domestic and global challenges posed by emerging infectious diseases and the threat of bioterrorism. Dr. Hughes is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and an assistant surgeon general in the United States Public Health Service.
DR. CARLTON GYLES, Ontario Veterinary College
Co-Chair: Pathogens in the Food Chain
Dr. Carlton Gyles, a 1964 graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, received his PhD in veterinary bacteriology from the University of Guelph in 1968. Following postdoctoral studies in England and Denmark, he joined the faculty of the University of Guelph in 1968 and is presently a professor in the Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph. He has been conducting research on disease-producing E. coli for the past 35 years and has made notable original contributions to the field. Among these contributions are the discoveries of the E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin, and of E. coli plasmids with both enterotoxin and drug resistance genes, the genetic characterization of the genes for verotoxin 2e (VT2e), the purification and characterization of the edema disease verotoxin (VT2e), and the development and testing of a toxoid vaccine that is effective against edema disease of pigs. Dr. Gyles' active research areas include assessment of the role of hemolysin in the virulence of E. coli O157:H7, evaluation of the role of plasmid-encoded MsbB in E. coli O157:H7, and investigation of the resistance of veal calves to colonization by E. coli O157:H7. He has published over 100 refereed articles and 17 book chapters, edited three books including a book on E. coli in animals and humans, and has been an invited speaker in several countries. He is associate director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety and of the NSERC Canadian Research Network on Bacterial Pathogens of Swine. His administrative responsibilities at the University of Guelph have included chair of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, and dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. He has also been a member of the University Board of Governors. At the provincial level, he has been a member of the Ontario Council on University Affairs and of the Council of Ontario Universities.
DR. PETER JAHRLING, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
Speaker
Dr. Jahrling is principal scientific advisor at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) based in Fort Detrick, Md., where he advises the Commander of USAMRIID on the development and co-ordination of research programs directed at the prevention, treatment and surveillance of infectious disease threats. He also conducts research to evaluate countermeasures, especially vaccines, against viral infectious disease and biological warfare threats, in particular Ebola and smallpox. Dr. Jahrling is a consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Research Council. He is also head of the WHO Collaborating Center for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research at USAMRIID. Since 1996, Dr. Jahrling has served as a consultant to the National Academy of Sciences/Institute of Medicine's Russian/U.S. Collaborative Program for Research and Monitoring of Pathogens of Global Importance, and more recently on the NAS Working Group on Biological Weapons Control. He has authored more than 145 scientific papers and chapters on viruses, biological warfare agents and vaccines. Dr. Jahrling received his AB in biology from Cornell University and his PhD in microbiology from the Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences.
DR. LINDA LOGAN, Texas Animal Health Commission
Speaker
Texas is particularly fortunate to have as its state veterinarian a Texas native who understands firsthand the challenges and hardships producers face on a daily basis. Dr. Logan was born in San Angelo, Tex., to a ranching family. When drought "burned the family" out of the livestock business in Sonora, Texas, Dr. Logan's father took the family to Saudi Arabia, where he set up the kingdom's first modern dairy operation. Dr. Logan returned to Texas and attended Texas Tech University where she received a BS in zoology. She then moved on to earn a graduate degree in parasitology from the University of Georgia. She again returned to Texas and obtained a BS in veterinary science and a DVM from Texas A&M University. To complete her education she then went on to the University of California, Davis, to earn her PhD in comparative pathology.
In addition to her extensive international livestock health experience, particularly in Mali and Kenya, Dr. Logan served for the past four years as the national animal health program leader at the Maryland headquarters of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), where she collaborated with researchers in Mexico, Central and South America, and Russia. Dr. Logan is a much sought-after speaker for agricultural industry groups, veterinary associations and for the USDA foreign animal disease training courses. Dr. Logan has just completed one year as the executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission and State Veterinarian of Texas. During this time, she has been dealing heavily with the Australian cattle issue, Exercise Roving Sands, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), emergency management issues, tuberculosis and anthrax.
DR. DONALD LOW, Mount Sinai Hospital & University of Toronto
Chair: Bacteriological Agents
Dr. Donald E. Low is head of microbiology at Mount Sinai Hospital, The Toronto Hospital and the Toronto Medical Laboratories in Toronto. He holds fellowships in medical microbiology, internal medicine and infectious diseases. He is a professor of laboratory medicine and pathobiology, and a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto where he is the head of the Division of Microbiology in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology. He is the chair of the Strategic Planning Committee for Antimicrobial Resistance in Ontario and a member of the Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network. In addition to his duties as microbiologist-in-chief, Dr. Low conducts a research program on gram positive bacterial resistance and streptococcal disease pathogenesis.
Dr. Low completed his undergraduate training and postgraduate training in medicine at the University of Manitoba. He completed his training in infectious diseases at the University of Manitoba and his training in medical microbiology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Low is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in both internal medicine and medical microbiology, and also holds a certificate in infectious diseases from the Royal College. A recognized authority in microbiology, Dr. Low is a reviewer for several organizations including the Medical Research Council, Health and Welfare Canada, the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He is an associate editor of the Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases. Dr. Low's primary research interests are in the study of epidemiology and the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in community and hospital pathogens as they affect Canadians. Other research interests include the epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment of severe streptococcal diseases.
DR. SCOTT McEWEN, University of Guelph
Speaker
Dr. Scott McEwen obtained his DVM and Doctor of Veterinary Science degrees from the University of Guelph. He is currently a professor in the Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College. His research focuses on the epidemiology of food-borne infections in food animal populations, particularly E. coli and antibiotic-resistant organisms, but also Salmonella and other pathogens. He has extensive experience in conducting epidemiological studies in cattle, swine and other food animal species. His research on E. coli O157:H7 and related organisms focuses on the distribution of fecal shedding in cattle and risk factors for infection in cattle and humans. He and his co-workers are also active in simulation modeling of potential intervention strategies (including vaccination) for this infection on farms and throughout the food chain. He has also conducted research on antimicrobial and other chemical residues in milk and meat, Lyme disease in wildlife and carcass defects in poultry. Since 1986 he has taught food safety to veterinary students and graduate students in a variety of degree programs. He is author or co-author of over 85 publications in refereed scientific journals and has been invited to deliver research presentations in nine countries. He is a consultant on issues of food safety, antibiotic resistance, epidemiology and other veterinary public health matters with a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations in North America and Europe, notably various food animal industry groups, the World Health Organization, the United States Food and Drug Administration, and Health Canada.
DR. GRANT McFADDEN,
John P. Robarts Research Institute and University of Western Ontario
Chair: Viral Agents
Grant McFadden received his B.Sc. Hons. (Biochemistry ) and his PhD (Biochemistry) from McGill University (1975). His postdoctoral research was completed at the University of Western Ontario in microbiology and immunology. He moved to the University of Alberta as assistant professor in the biochemistry department and moved through associate professor in that department to be awarded tenure in 1986. After taking a one-year research sabbatical with the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology at Harvard University, he returned to the University of Alberta as a professor in the biochemistry department. In 1987, he came to the University of Western Ontario as a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, with a cross appointment as director of the Viral Immunology and Pathogenesis Laboratory for The John P. Robarts Research Institute in London. He is also the co-director of a new group in biotherapeutics. In 2001, he received an appointment as Canada Research Chair (Tier I) for the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of many professional societies and is an external scientific referee for organizations around the world, as well as serving on grants panels, committees, organizations and editorial boards. His professional interest is in virus research, in particular smallpox virus. He has published or presented over 150 papers and maintains a busy schedule as an invited speaker at conferences and seminars worldwide.
DR. ALLISON McGEER, University of Toronto
Co-Chair: Bacteriological Agents
Allison McGeer received her B.Sc. Hons. (Biochemistry), M.Sc. (Biochemistry) and MD Hons. from the University of Toronto. She trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases at the University of Toronto, and completed a fellowship in hospital epidemiology at the Yale-New Haven Hospital in 1989-90. She is now a microbiologist and the director of Infection Control at the Mount Sinai Hospital, and an associate professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto, with cross appointments in Medicine and Public Health Sciences. She is the principal investigator of the Toronto Invasive Bacterial Diseases Network, a member of the Ontario Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases, and a founding member of the Canadian Nosocomial Infections Surveillance program. She is a member of many professional societies and is an external scientific referee for organizations around the world, as well as serving on grants panels, committees, organizations and editorial boards. Her major research interests are in the prevention of institutional infections and of antimicrobial resistance. She has published or presented over 100 papers.
DR. JAMES MEEGAN, U.S. National Institutes of Health
Speaker
Dr. Meegan was awarded an AB in biological sciences from Holy Cross College in 1970 and a MS degree in microbiology from Northeastern University in 1971. He received his PhD in virology in 1977 after studying the interferon antiviral system with Dr. P.I. Marcus at the University of Connecticut. He received a direct commission in the Medical Service Corps of the U.S. Navy and served for 21 years as a military scientist, specializing in acute viral infections and tropical viral diseases. His assignments included the position of head of the Virology Department at the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit # 3, Cairo, Egypt, where his studies centred on a major epizootic caused by the Rift Valley Fever virus. He later served as head of the Rapid Diagnosis Department at the U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases (Ft. Detrick, Md.). During his military career, he was seconded for duty on the faculty of the Yale Arbovirus Research Unit, Yale University Medical School, New Haven, Conn. and for three years as a medical officer at the World Health Organization Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1991, he joined the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where he is a program officer for Acute Viral Diseases. In 1998, his duties expanded to include co-ordination of the NIH's response to the threat of bioterrorism. He is a member of many professional societies and is an external consultant for scientific organizations and countries around the world. He has published or presented over 150 papers and is currently maintaining a busy schedule as an invited speaker on the defence against bioterrorism.
DR. JEREMY MOGRIDGE, University of Toronto
Speaker
Jeremy Mogridge received his B.Sc. (Biochemistry) and his PhD (Molecular and Medical Genetics) from the University of Toronto (1998). His postdoctoral research was conducted in the laboratory of Professor R. John Collier at Harvard Medical School (Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics). He joined the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto as an assistant professor in 2001. His scientific interest is in the molecular mechanisms of anthrax toxin action.
DR. DAVID MOWAT, Health Canada Centre for Health Surveillance
Speaker
Dr. David Mowat is the director general of the Centre for Surveillance Coordination, Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada. Dr. Mowat joined Health Canada in September 1998 as Director of National Health Surveillance Infostructure. In this capacity he was responsible for the development of the Network for Health Surveillance in Canada. Prior to this he held a variety of positions in the field of public health, including medical officer of health for the Kingston area and the chief medical officer of health and the director of the Public Health Branch with the Ontario Ministry of Health. Dr. Mowat received his degree in medicine from the University of Edinburgh, and his degree in public health from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a fellow in community medicine at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, an adjunct associate professor of community health and epidemiology at Queen's University and an adjunct professor of epidemiology and community medicine at the University of Ottawa.
DR. JAMES MUSSER, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Speaker
James M. Musser received his MD & PhD (Microbiology) from the University of Rochester School of Medicine (1988). He performed postdoctoral research on the molecular population genetics of pathogenic bacteria in the laboratory of Prof. Robert K. Selander. After residency training in laboratory medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, he joined the faculty of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Tex. (1991). He rose through the academic ranks and was promoted to professor (Pathology, and Microbiology and Immunology) in 1998. In 1999, he joined the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health. On joining NIAID, he formed and is chief of the Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, which now includes eight principal investigators conducting research on group A Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Yersinia pestis, and other pathogens. His laboratory works primarily on group A Streptococcus and M. tuberculosis, with a special emphasis on genome-scale investigative strategies. He is a member of many professional societies, has received many national honours and awards, and has published 200 papers.
DR. FRANK PLUMMER, Health Canada National Microbiology Laboratory
Chair: Public Health, Preparedness and Response
Dr. Plummer is a native of Manitoba and received his medical degree from the University of Manitoba in 1976. After postgraduate training in internal medicine and infectious diseases at the University of Southern California, the University of Manitoba, the University of Nairobi, and the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention in Atlanta, he joined the University of Manitoba faculty in 1984 to direct University of Manitoba research projects in Nairobi, Kenya. Since 1984, he and his family have lived full-time in Kenya. Although the initial research interests of the University of Manitoba programme were primarily related to bacterial, sexually transmitted diseases, the emergence of the severe epidemic of AIDS in Africa resulted in a rapid re-direction of the research programme to focus on AIDS and HIV. Dr. Plummer's current research interests include mechanisms of resistance to HIV, risk factors for heterosexual transmission of HIV, mother-to-child transmission of HIV, public health strategies for control of sexually transmitted infections, and the immunobiology of gonococcal infections. He has received a number of awards and honours including the Rh Institute Award, an achievement award from the American Venereal Disease Association, a scholarship from the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association; fellowship, scholarship, scientist and senior scientist awards from the Medical Research Council of Canada and the I.S. Ravidin Award in the Basic Sciences from the American College of Surgeons. He is currently acting head of Medical Microbiology, professor of Medicine and Medical Microbiology, and associate professor of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. In September 2000, he assumed the position of scientific director of the Health Canada National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.
DR. RON ST. JOHN, Health Canada
Speaker
Dr. Ronald St. John is the acting executive director of the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response at Health Canada. Created in July 2000, the Centre serves as the country's single co-ordinating point for public health security in Canada. Previously, Dr. St. John was director of the Office of Public Health Security at Health Canada with responsibilities for planning, programming and policy review for quarantine and migration health, travel medicine, the Global Public Health Intelligence Network, and counter-terrorism.
Dr. St. John trained as a physician in the United States and has a speciality in public health in the United States and Canada. In the late 60s, he was a Peace Corps physician in Bolivia, responsible for all Peace Corps public health planning and programming for the Philippines. From 1989 to 1992 he was deputy director of the National AIDS Program Office in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He was also program co-ordinator for the Health Situation and Trend Assessment program with the Pan American Health Organization. Dr. St. John is also an associate professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa. He has given many lectures, presentations and speeches in epidemiology, sexually transmitted diseases, migration health, emerging infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS in national and international forums.
DR. RAFIK-PIERRE SÉKALY, CANVAC and University of Montreal
Co-Chair: Vaccines and Antimicrobials
Dr. Rafik-Pierre Sékaly received his B.Sc. in biological sciences from the Université de Montréal, Canada in 1975 and his M.Sc. in immunology in 1979. He received his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland in 1984. He holds a NIAID, NIH fellowship. Past appointments include director, Laboratory of Immunology, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Qué.; co-ordinator and scientific director, Réseau FRSQ SIDA/MI (Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec); visiting scientist, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director), NIH, Bethesda, Md., U.S.; full professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Qué.; chair, Vaccine & Immunology Committee, Canadian HIV Trial Network (CTN), Vancouver, Canada; director, Canadian HIV Primary Infection Group, Medical Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Canada; associate director, CHUM; director, Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology, Université de Montreal; and director, Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology, CHUM. He has received honours in French Baccalaureate; the MacDonald Stewart Studentship, Hotel-Dieu de Montréal Hospital, Montreal, Qué.; a doctoral fellowship at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne, Switzerland; the Fogarty fellowship, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., U.S.; a Medical Research Council of Canada Scholarship; designation as a Medical Research Council of Canada Scientist; Chercheur-boursier "Senior 1", Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Quebec; Bourse de perfectionnement - chercheur autonome - Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRSQ); designation as the National Health Visiting Scientist (AIDS), National Health and Welfare Canada; and le Prix du Jeune Chercheur - Club de Recherches Cliniques du Québec.
DR. JIM TARTAGLIA, Aventis Pasteur Ltd.
Co-Chair: Vaccines and Antimicrobials
Dr. Jim Tartaglia currently holds the position of Vice-President (Research) for Aventis Pasteur Canada in Toronto. Prior to joining Virogenetics in 1990, Dr. Tartaglia worked as a research scientist with the New York State Department of Health, and a postdoctoral fellow at the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology in Nutley, N.J. He holds a PhD from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Albany Medical College and a BS in biology from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa. Prior to joining Aventis Pasteur Canada, Dr. Tartaglia held the position of Executive Director of Research at the Virogenetics Corporation of Troy, N.Y., a former subsidiary of Aventis Pasteur Ltd. While at Virogenetics, he helped develop the poxvirus vector technology as an immunization vehicle for both veterinary and human application. He is a recognized authority on the poxvirus vector technology and has played a leading role in the HIV and cancer programs at Aventis Pasteur Ltd. Dr. Tartaglia is listed as an inventor on over 20 patents relating to recombinant vaccines, and has authored over 100 publications in the areas of molecular virology and recombinant vaccine technology.
DR. DAVID WEINER, University of Pennsylvania
Speaker
Dr. David Weiner received his BS in biology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and his MS and PhD from the Children's Hospital Research Foundation at the University of Cincinnati in 1986. He joined the Department of Pathology at the University of Pennsylvania to pursue a fellowship in molecular immunology. In the fall of 1989 he moved to the Wistar Institute and was promoted to Director of Biotechnology at the Institute. There, he headed an extremely active research program in vaccines and immunology, and organized and directed the Institute's extramural program in biotechnology. This program generated significant revenue for the Institute through extramural corporate grants and licensing. He returned to the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 and is currently an associate professor with tenure in the Department of Pathology at the University of Pennsylvania. During his career he has worked extensively in the areas of molecular immunology, the development of vaccines and vaccine technology for infectious diseases and in the area of active immune therapy. Dr. Weiner has published over 250 articles in peer reviewed journals and is the author of over 28 awarded U.S. patents as well as their international counterparts. He serves on many national and international review boards and panels including the NIH Study Section, the CDRF, the Department of Veterans Affairs Scientific Review Panel, and the FDA Advisory panel, CEBR. He also serves or has served in an advisory capacity to several biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies including American Home Products, 3M, J & J, IDEC & Centocor. Dr. Weiner is credited with being one of the founders of the field of DNA vaccines. His group and collaborators are responsible for several DNA vaccine Investigational New Drugs designations (INDs) including the first INDs for a DNA vaccine for infectious diseases. These INDs were for HIV immune therapy and importantly the first DNA vaccine IND-approved as a prophylactic for any indication, in this case HIV-1. Because of his expertise in this area, Dr. Weiner has served as an advisor on the applications of DNA vaccine technology for containing or preventing damage caused by the pathogenic agents of bioterrorism.
DR. ALAN WILDEMAN, University of Guelph
Chair: Pathogens in the Food Chain
Alan Wildeman earned a bachelor's and a master's degree in biology from the University of Saskatchewan, and subsequently a PhD in genetics from the University of Guelph in 1982. Following postdoctoral work in France, where he worked on DNA tumour viruses, he returned to the University of Guelph in 1985 to take a faculty position in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. He held an NSERC research chair in animal biotechnology from 1987 to 1997. In 1995 he became full professor, following a year's leave to work in Germany. He became director of the Food System Biotechnology Centre of the University of Guelph in 1999, a centre that co-ordinates and supports agrifood research and private sector partnerships in plant and animal biotechnology. In July 2001, he was appointed Vice-President (Research) of the University of Guelph. Throughout his career, he has maintained research interests in cancer cell biology, particularly related to tumour viruses and protein glycosylation, and on applications of animal transgenic technologies in agriculture. He has served on many grant panels and review committees, and is currently chair of the Virology, Gene Expression and Structural Biology Panel of the National Cancer Institute of Canada.
DR. PETER WRIGHT, Agriculture & Agrifood Canada
Co-Chair: Pathogens in the Food Chain
Peter Wright received his B.Sc. Hons. in microbiology and immunology (1975) from the University of Western Ontario. He then went on to complete his M.Sc. (1978) and PhD (1981) in Veterinary Immunology at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. Dr. Wright joined the Immunology Section of the Animal Diseases Research Institute in Nepean, Ont. as a research scientist in late 1981 and became the head of the Serology Section in 1987. Taking a five-year leave of absence for international service, he joined the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/International Atomic Energy Agency (FAO/IAEA) Program in 1990 as head of the Animal Production and Health Unit at the Seibersdorf Laboratory in Austria. During his tenure there, he established and became head of the OIE Collaborating Centre for ELISA and Molecular Techniques in Animal Disease Diagnosis. Returning to Canada in 1995, Peter became involved in the start-up of the CFIA's new National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg where his current position is that of deputy director. Throughout his career, he has been involved in the development and application of enzyme immunoassay techniques for the diagnosis of infectious animal diseases with special emphasis on international standardization and diagnostic validation. Prior to coming to Winnipeg, Peter served as an expert in animal brucellosis for the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), FAO/IAEA, and the World Health Organization (WHO). He has continued to serve on the Standards Commission of the OIE since 1991. Peter is currently the chair of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) Serology Committee and a member of the AAVLD Approved Methods Committee.
List of conference attendees
| Artsob, Harvey | National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada |
| Ashton, Fraser | Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada |
| Austin, John | Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada |
| Avery, Donald | University of Western Ontario |
| Axler, Helena | Helena Axler and Associates Inc. |
| Babiuk, Lorne | University of Saskatchewan, Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization |
| Barreto, Luis | Aventis Pasteur Ltd. |
| Barry, Michele | University of Alberta |
| Basrur, Sheela | Toronto Public Health |
| Beaulieu, Marc-Andre | Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada |
| Bergeron, Michel G. | Université Laval |
| Bernard, Kathy | National Microbiology Laboratory , Health Canada |
| Bernstein, Alan | Canadian Institutes of Health Research |
| Berry, Jody | National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease |
| Boissinot, Maurice | Université Laval |
| Boulet, Cam | Chemical and Biological Defence , Defence R&D Canada -Suffield |
| Branswell, Helen | The Canadian Press |
| Bray, Judy | Institute of Infection and Immunity, CIHR |
| Brener, David | Industry Programs Branch, CIHR |
| Brown, Corrie | College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia |
| Buller, R. Mark L. | St. Louis University School of Medicine |
| Bureaux, John | Explosives Disposal & Technology Section, RCMP HQ |
| Capanelli, Heather | Globe and Mail |
| Clout, Kathryn | Solicitor General of Canada |
| Crampton, Geoffrey | Solicitor General of Canada |
| Daar, Abdallah | University of Toronto |
| Damon, Inger | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Dascal, Andre | McGill University, Jewish General Hospital |
| Davis, Heather | Coley Pharmaceutical Canada |
| Dawar, Meena | First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada |
| Dekaban, Gregory | John P. Robarts Research Institute |
| Dillon, Jo-Anne R. | University of Ottawa |
| Durham, Heather | McGill University, Montreal Neurological Institute |
| Elmslie, Kim | Office of the Chief Scientist , Health Canada |
| Evans, Dave | University of Guelph |
| Fearon, Margaret | Laboratories Branch, Ontario Ministry of Health & Long Term Care |
| Feldmann, Heinz | National Microbiology Laboratory , Health Canada |
| Finlay, Brett | University of British Columbia |
| Frank, John | Institute of Population and Public Health, CIHR |
| Gannon, Victor | Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Health Canada |
| Gardell, Claude | Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada |
| Glass, Kences | Health Services, Department of National Defence |
| Glavin, Gary | National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada |
| Goble, Brad | TDV Global Inc. |
| Gully, Paul R. | Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada |
| Gyles, Carlton | Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph |
| Haag, Patrick | Programs Branch, CIHR |
| Hall, Doris | John P. Robarts Research Institute |
| Harding, Kent | Defence R&D Canada-Suffield |
| Hayes, Sidney | College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan |
| Henry, Bonnie | Toronto Public Health, Toronto Community & Neighbourhood Services |
| Hughes, James M. | National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Hutcheson, Morag | CIHR |
| Isaac-Renton, Judy | BC Centre for Disease Control |
| Jahrling, Peter | US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases |
| Jin, Robert | Public Health Branch, Ontario Ministry of Health & Long Term Care |
| Johnson, Wendy | Cangene Corporation |
| Karmali, Mohamed | Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Health Canada |
| Kelvin, David | Toronto General Research Institute |
| Keough, Kevin | Office of the Chief Scientist, Health Canada |
| Kettner, Joel | Manitoba Health |
| King, Arlene | Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada |
| Klein, Agnes | Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada |
| Langstaff, John | Cangene Corporation |
| Legault, Francois | Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada |
| Lewis, Don | Canadian Water Network, Reseau canadien de l'eau |
| Lightfoot, Nigel | Public Health Laboratory Service |
| Logan, Linda | Texas Animal Health Commission |
| Low, Don | Mount Sinai Hospital |
| MacDonald, Noni | Dalhousie University |
| MacKenzie, Anne | Canadian Food Inspection Agency |
| Malo, Anne | Office of the Chief Scientist, Health Canada |
| Mandeville, Rosemonde | Biophage Pharma Inc. |
| Masuda, Jeff | Institute of Gender and Health, CIHR |
| McArthur, Colin | Biological and Chemical Defence Review Committee |
| McClarty, Grant | National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada |
| McEwen, Scott | Ontario Veterinary College , University of Guelph |
| McFadden, Grant | University of Western Ontario, John. P. Robarts Research Institute |
| McGeer, Allison | University of Toronto |
| Meegan, James M. | National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health |
| Meek, Alan | Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph |
| Mogridge, Jeremy | University of Toronto |
| Moor, Bruce | Institute of Infection and Immunity, CIHR |
| Mowat, David | Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada |
| Mulvey, Michael | National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada |
| Munro, Margaret | National Post |
| Murphy, Lori | Health Canada |
| Musser, Jim | National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health |
| Nelson, Denis W. | RCMP |
| Nguyen, Trong | Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada |
| Ogilvie, Tim | Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island |
| Parekh, Hector | Solicitor General of Canada |
| Peterson, Robert | Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada |
| Plummer, Frank | National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada |
| Prescott, John | University of Guelph |
| Rabin, Erica | University of Alberta |
| Rabin, Harvey | Health Sciences Centre, University of Calgary |
| Raboud, Janet | Mount Sinai Hospital |
| Raizenne, Mark | Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada |
| Reading, Jeff | Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health, CIHR |
| Rennie, Robert | Medical Microbiology, University of Alberta Hospital |
| Richards, Jim | Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council of Canada |
| Richardson, Carol | Institute of Infection and Immunity, CIHR |
| Rieder, Michael | University of Western Ontario |
| Ritvo, Paul | Cancer Care Ontario, University Health Network |
| Sarrazin, Jean | Embassy of France |
| Scott, Ann | RCMP HQ |
| Scott, Ken | Canadian Forces Health Services, Department of National Defence |
| Sekaly, Rafik-P. | CANVAC |
| Shiff, Helaine | Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International |
| Singh, Bhagirath | Institute of Infection and Immunity, CIHR |
| Smaill, Fiona | Hamilton Health Sciences -MUMC Site, McMaster University |
| Small, Janine | Health Canada |
| Snell, Richard | Networks of Centres of Excellence |
| St. John, Ron | Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada |
| Stephen, Eric | Defence R&D Canada, Department of National Defence |
| Taylor, Kim | Solicitor General of Canada |
| Tsang, Raymond | National Microbiology Laboratory, Health Canada |
| Valvano, Miguel | University of Western Ontario |
| Vellinga, Jake | Health Policy and Communications Branch, Health Canada |
| Weiner, David | University of Pennsylvania |
| Welsh, Frank | Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada |
| Whitfield, Chris | University of Guelph |
| Wildeman, Alan | University of Guelph |
| Woods, Don | University of Calgary |
| Wright, Gerry | McMaster University |
| Wright, Peter | Canadian Food Inspection Agency, National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease |
| Yelaja, Prithi | Toronto Star |
| Young, James | Ministry of the Solicitor General |
ISBN MR21-37-2002E/IN 0-662-32536-2
