**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FOODBORNE ILLNESSES IMPACT THE LIVES OF MILLIONS WORLDWIDE. RETAIL MEAT IS KNOWN TO HARBOR SEVERAL BACTERIAL FOODBORNE PATHOGENS. THE RAPID DETECTION OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS IN MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS IS VITAL TO FOOD SAFETY. DEVELOPING AN ASSAY TO DETECT MULTIPLE PATHOGENS SIMULTANEOUSLY IN A FOOD SAMPLE IS NEEDED. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS TWO-YEAR SEED GRANT IS TO DEVELOP, OPTIMIZE, AND EVALUATE AN ADVANCED SEQUENCING ASSAY FOR THE RAPID DETECTION OF CAMPYLOBACTER, SALMONELLA, LISTERIA, AND STEC IN RETAIL MEATS USING THE POCKET-SIZED OXFORD NANOPORE TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS POSSIBLY THE BEST SOLUTION FOR DETECTING MICROBES IN THE FIELD DUE TO THE REDUCED TIMES NEEDED FOR ASSAYS, LOWER COSTS, AND THE CONVENIENT DATA ANALYSIS PLATFORM ADAPTED FOR THIS PORTABLE DEVICE. THIS NEWLY DEVELOPED SEQUENCE-BASED METHOD WILL ACCURATELY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY IDENTIFY MULTIPLE FOODBORNE PATHOGENS IN MEAT SAMPLES IN A SINGLE SEQUENCING RUN, WHICH WILL SHORTEN THE LENGTH OF TIME NEEDED FOR DETECTION. THIS GRANT ADDRESSES THREE PRIORITIES OF THE FOOD SAFETY AND DEFENSE PROGRAM REGARDING THE DETECTION OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS IN FOOD. THE LONG-TERM GOAL WOULD BE TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR CONVENTIONAL CULTURE METHODS AND PROVIDE A RAPID ECONOMICAL ASSAY FOR DETECTING FOODBORNE PATHOGENS IN VARIOUS FOOD PRODUCTS, WHICH IN TURN WILL ENHANCE FOOD SAFETY AND REDUCE HEALTH RISKS FOR THE CONSUMERS.