FOOD-BORNE ILLNESSES CAUSED BY FOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS ARE A MAJOR CAUSE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY GLOBALLY. IN 2015, THE WORLD HEALTH ASSOCIATION INITIATIVE TO ESTIMATE THE GLOBAL BURDEN OF FOOD-BORNE DISEASES ESTIMATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 1 IN 10 PEOPLE FALL ILL EVERY YEAR FROM EATING CONTAMINATED FOOD RESULTING IN ~420000 DEATHS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS OF AGE WHERE 30% OF DEATHS ARE OBSERVED DESPITE REPRESENTING <10% OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION. IN THE US, THE USDA ESTIMATED 48 MILLION ILLNESSES AND 3,000 DEATHS EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES. IN 2018, U.S. ADULTS RATED FOODBORNE ILLNESS FROM BACTERIA AS THEMOST IMPORTANT FOOD SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION, HOME TO OVER 250,000 FARMERS PRODUCING A WIDE RANGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, GRAINS, POULTRY, DAIRY, AND SEAFOOD. THEREFORE, REDUCING THE BURDEN OF FOODBORNE INFECTIONS REQUIRES THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY (FACULTY, STAFF, AND TRAINEES) TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MICROBIOLOGY UNDERLYING THE CAUSATIVE INFECTIOUS AGENTS IN ORDER TO DEVISE NEW RAPID DIAGNOSTICS, INCREASE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNDERLYING VIRULENCE/EVOLUTION/PATHOGENICITY OF FOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS, AND ELUCIDATE ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERNS AND MECHANISMS OF ACTION IN PRODUCE ANIMALS. THUS, THE STUDY OF MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS IS ESSENTIAL TO IMPROVING FOOD SAFETY, A MAJOR GOAL OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (NIFA) AT THE USDA. THIS PROPOSAL DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THIS CHALLENGE BY ORGANIZING A CONFERENCE BRINGING TOGETHER EXPERTS IN MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS RESEARCH. THE MID-ATLANTIC MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS MEETING (MAMPM) IS AN OUTSTANDING CONFERENCE FOR RESEARCHERS TO SHARE THEIR MOST RECENT FINDINGS AND ESTABLISH VALUABLE CONNECTIONS AND COLLABORATIONS IN A SUPPORTIVE AND SCIENTIFICALLY RIGOROUS ENVIRONMENT.

University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC

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