Posted 12/07/2008
K-State news
by Editor
From K-State:
TO VIEW AND PRINT INDIVIDUAL NEWS ARTICLES, please go to http://www.k-state.edu/media
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In today's news from K-State for Friday, Dec. 5, 2008:
1) K-State's January Intersession an Opportunity for Students to Get Ahead for Spring Semester
2) OPINION: Considering NBAF by Drs. Nancy and Jerry Jaax. Video of the Jaaxes discussing working in a secure lab is available on our Web site, http://www.k-state.edu/media
PHOTOS from yesterday's NBAF news conference are available online:
http://ksuphoto.zenfolio.com/p818229 and on the media relations Web site at http://www.k-state.edu/media
-----------------------------------------------
1) Source: Melinda Sinn, 785-532-5888, sinnpio@k-state.edu News release prepared by: Bethany Fief, 785-532-5888, bethanyf@k-state.edu
K-STATE'S JANUARY INTERSESSION AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO GET AHEAD FOR SPRING SEMESTER
MANHATTAN -- Enrollment for January 2009 intersession at Kansas State University has started and continues through the first day of intersession classes, Monday, Dec. 29.
Intersession is an opportunity for students to take a class between the regular semesters. By taking January intersession classes, students can cut back on a few credit hours in the spring term or earn more credits toward an earlier graduation.
January intersession runs from Dec. 29 to Jan. 13, 2009.
Intersession offers a variety of courses for graduate and undergraduate students, including:
* Introduction to Political Science, POLSC 110, offered online, class No. 15949
* World Regional Geography, GEOG 100, class No. 16038
* Social Construction of Serial Murder, SOCIO 562, class No. 15001
* Ancient Egypt, HIST 598, offered online, class No. 16026
* Sport and Exercise Personality, KIN 592, class No. 15779
A complete list of intersession classes and class numbers is available at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/courses
Click on the "Advanced Search Link" and select "January 2009 Intersession" from the pull-down list. Enrollment will be completed in the university student information system, iSIS.
Additional information about K-State intersession also is available at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/courses/intersession or by contacting Ron Jackson at 785-532-5575 or rdj7@k-state.edu.
Enrollment assistance is available by contacting the K-State Division of Continuing Education at 1-800-622-2578 or informationdce@k-state.edu.
-----------------------------------------------
2) OPINION: Considering NBAF
by Drs. Nancy and Jerry Jaax
Manhattan has been selected by the DHS as the preferred site for the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility -- NBAF. This is a remarkable achievement for the broad coalition of citizens and organizations that have worked so hard to bring the laboratory to Manhattan. For many in our community, the question of safety is a prime consideration. With first hand experience in biocontainment laboratories, we want to add our perspective to the topic of safety.
First and foremost, we strongly believe the NBAF will be a safe and secure facility. Even though decades-old infectious disease research facilities have served the nation safely and well, the NBAF will incorporate the most up-to-date safety, security and technological advances perfected in other biocontainment laboratories. Redundant and overlapping safety and security features characterize modern biocontainment facilities.
Upon completion, the NBAF will be the most advanced agricultural biocontainment facility in the world – uniquely suited to perform innovative research to protect and sustain our agricultural infrastructure and food supply. The NBAF will include Biosafety Level - 4 (BL-4) laboratories. These are needed to address our lack of national capability to counter new or emerging agricultural diseases that have serious public health implications, such as Nipah and Hendra viruses.
Global travel and goods distribution, overpopulation, climate change and habitat destruction are among the reasons that new diseases are emerging every year. Most come from the animal world. We can no longer rely on our borders, and the comforting insulation the oceans once provided to protect the U.S. from emerging or re-emerging diseases.
This is the harsh reality of infectious diseases – microorganisms know no borders. Tomorrow could be the day that another serious pathogen could arrive in this country. The modernized research capability of the NBAF will be critical for the welfare of the country, our agricultural infrastructure, and for our vital interests here in the heartland.
The line between agricultural diseases, public health and bioterrorism is often blurred. This week, The Commission on Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism released a cautionary report. This select bipartisan group flatly stated that they believe that "a weapon of mass destruction -- WMD -- will be used somewhere in the world by the end of 2013." The Commission further stated that biological weapons posed a greater terrorist threat than nuclear weapons, and concluded that the "sobering reality is that risks are growing faster than our multilayered defenses. Our margin for safety is shrinking, not growing."
This somber warning, although primarily referring to intentionally-introduced human diseases, applies directly to emerging agricultural pathogens. The ability to deal with emerging and / or intentionally introduced diseases is an absolute national and regional priority.
-----
Nancy and Jerry Jaax are graduates of K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine and work at K-State. While serving at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), they were key participants in the 1989 Reston Ebola outbreak detailed in Richard Preston's best seller "The Hot Zone," which inspired the 1995 film "Outbreak."
TO VIEW AND PRINT INDIVIDUAL NEWS ARTICLES, please go to http://www.k-state.edu/media
-----------------------------------------------
In additional news from K-State for Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008:
1) K-State's Expertise and Superstar Researchers in Animal Health, Food Safety Help University Land National Laboratory For Animal Health Research
-----------------------------------------------
1) Source: Ron Trewyn, 785-532-5110, trewyn@k-state.edu http://www.k-state.edu/media/nbaf/index.html
News release prepared by: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, 785-532-6415, ebarcomb@k-state.edu
K-STATE'S EXPERTISE AND SUPERSTAR RESEARCHERS IN ANIMAL HEALTH, FOOD SAFETY HELP UNIVERSITY LAND NATIONAL LABORATORY FOR ANIMAL HEALTH RESEARCH
MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's solid reputation as a leader in animal health and food safety research is stronger than ever with the announcement of K-State as the site for the relocation of a federal animal health laboratory.
The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, known as NBAF, will be located adjacent to the K-State campus, bringing hundreds of animal health researchers with it.
"This might very well be the most important thing that has happened to Kansas State University in the entire history of the university," said K-State President Jon Wefald. "Never before in the history of Kansas has a national federal laboratory of this magnitude been sited in the state. We are talking about a half-billion dollar animal health facility that will be the finest laboratory of its kind in the entire world. After all, there will be hundreds of world-class scientists doing research in this facility."
K-State has more than 150 of its own faculty and staff active in the food safety and animal health arenas. Since 1999, K-State has dedicated more than $70 million to related research. K-State's expertise in animal health has a huge impact on human health as well. Many of K-State's researchers focus on zoonotic diseases — that is, diseases that can be transmitted between humans and other animals.
K-State claims nationally prominent medical defense researchers and veterinarians Jerry Jaax and Nancy Jaax. Jerry Jaax is K-State's associate vice president for research compliance and university veterinarian; Nancy Jaax is program director for food safety and security. They were key participants in dealing with the 1989 Reston Ebola outbreak. The outbreak was detailed in Richard Preston's best-selling book, "The Hot Zone."
Bringing renowned researchers from across the world to campus is not unusual. Juergen Richt is Regents Distinguished Professor of diagnostic medicine/pathobiology and Kansas Bioscience Authority Eminent Scholar at K-State. In November he was host of an Emerging Infections Symposium that brought nearly 150 researchers from around the world to K-State from across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
As the U.S. Department of Homeland Security weighed five other sites for the location of the new federal laboratory, Ron Trewyn, K-State's vice president for research, led the effort to secure NBAF. He emphasized K-State's research while coordinating outreach efforts with the Kansas Bioscience Authority, as well as with the Midwest Research Institute and the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute. Trewyn and the K-State team worked with Tom Thornton and his staff at the Kansas Bioscience Authority to coordinate collaborative efforts with multiple states and universities.
Wefald said that having NBAF near K-State will boost all sciences across campus.
"This facility will not only ratchet up all of the biosciences and all of the sciences in the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine, Agriculture, Human Ecology, Arts and Sciences and Engineering, but it also will definitely accelerate K-State's progress in terms of having the greatest food safety and security and animal health programs anywhere in the world," he said.
"In short, this decision will extraordinarily enhance K-State's standing as one of America's great research universities."
-----------------------------------------------
In today's news from K-State for Friday, Dec. 5, 2008:
1) K-State's January Intersession an Opportunity for Students to Get Ahead for Spring Semester
2) OPINION: Considering NBAF by Drs. Nancy and Jerry Jaax. Video of the Jaaxes discussing working in a secure lab is available on our Web site, http://www.k-state.edu/media
PHOTOS from yesterday's NBAF news conference are available online:
http://ksuphoto.zenfolio.com/p818229 and on the media relations Web site at http://www.k-state.edu/media
-----------------------------------------------
1) Source: Melinda Sinn, 785-532-5888, sinnpio@k-state.edu News release prepared by: Bethany Fief, 785-532-5888, bethanyf@k-state.edu
K-STATE'S JANUARY INTERSESSION AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO GET AHEAD FOR SPRING SEMESTER
MANHATTAN -- Enrollment for January 2009 intersession at Kansas State University has started and continues through the first day of intersession classes, Monday, Dec. 29.
Intersession is an opportunity for students to take a class between the regular semesters. By taking January intersession classes, students can cut back on a few credit hours in the spring term or earn more credits toward an earlier graduation.
January intersession runs from Dec. 29 to Jan. 13, 2009.
Intersession offers a variety of courses for graduate and undergraduate students, including:
* Introduction to Political Science, POLSC 110, offered online, class No. 15949
* World Regional Geography, GEOG 100, class No. 16038
* Social Construction of Serial Murder, SOCIO 562, class No. 15001
* Ancient Egypt, HIST 598, offered online, class No. 16026
* Sport and Exercise Personality, KIN 592, class No. 15779
A complete list of intersession classes and class numbers is available at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/courses
Click on the "Advanced Search Link" and select "January 2009 Intersession" from the pull-down list. Enrollment will be completed in the university student information system, iSIS.
Additional information about K-State intersession also is available at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/courses/intersession or by contacting Ron Jackson at 785-532-5575 or rdj7@k-state.edu.
Enrollment assistance is available by contacting the K-State Division of Continuing Education at 1-800-622-2578 or informationdce@k-state.edu.
-----------------------------------------------
2) OPINION: Considering NBAF
by Drs. Nancy and Jerry Jaax
Manhattan has been selected by the DHS as the preferred site for the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility -- NBAF. This is a remarkable achievement for the broad coalition of citizens and organizations that have worked so hard to bring the laboratory to Manhattan. For many in our community, the question of safety is a prime consideration. With first hand experience in biocontainment laboratories, we want to add our perspective to the topic of safety.
First and foremost, we strongly believe the NBAF will be a safe and secure facility. Even though decades-old infectious disease research facilities have served the nation safely and well, the NBAF will incorporate the most up-to-date safety, security and technological advances perfected in other biocontainment laboratories. Redundant and overlapping safety and security features characterize modern biocontainment facilities.
Upon completion, the NBAF will be the most advanced agricultural biocontainment facility in the world – uniquely suited to perform innovative research to protect and sustain our agricultural infrastructure and food supply. The NBAF will include Biosafety Level - 4 (BL-4) laboratories. These are needed to address our lack of national capability to counter new or emerging agricultural diseases that have serious public health implications, such as Nipah and Hendra viruses.
Global travel and goods distribution, overpopulation, climate change and habitat destruction are among the reasons that new diseases are emerging every year. Most come from the animal world. We can no longer rely on our borders, and the comforting insulation the oceans once provided to protect the U.S. from emerging or re-emerging diseases.
This is the harsh reality of infectious diseases – microorganisms know no borders. Tomorrow could be the day that another serious pathogen could arrive in this country. The modernized research capability of the NBAF will be critical for the welfare of the country, our agricultural infrastructure, and for our vital interests here in the heartland.
The line between agricultural diseases, public health and bioterrorism is often blurred. This week, The Commission on Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism released a cautionary report. This select bipartisan group flatly stated that they believe that "a weapon of mass destruction -- WMD -- will be used somewhere in the world by the end of 2013." The Commission further stated that biological weapons posed a greater terrorist threat than nuclear weapons, and concluded that the "sobering reality is that risks are growing faster than our multilayered defenses. Our margin for safety is shrinking, not growing."
This somber warning, although primarily referring to intentionally-introduced human diseases, applies directly to emerging agricultural pathogens. The ability to deal with emerging and / or intentionally introduced diseases is an absolute national and regional priority.
-----
Nancy and Jerry Jaax are graduates of K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine and work at K-State. While serving at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), they were key participants in the 1989 Reston Ebola outbreak detailed in Richard Preston's best seller "The Hot Zone," which inspired the 1995 film "Outbreak."
TO VIEW AND PRINT INDIVIDUAL NEWS ARTICLES, please go to http://www.k-state.edu/media
-----------------------------------------------
In additional news from K-State for Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008:
1) K-State's Expertise and Superstar Researchers in Animal Health, Food Safety Help University Land National Laboratory For Animal Health Research
-----------------------------------------------
1) Source: Ron Trewyn, 785-532-5110, trewyn@k-state.edu http://www.k-state.edu/media/nbaf/index.html
News release prepared by: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, 785-532-6415, ebarcomb@k-state.edu
K-STATE'S EXPERTISE AND SUPERSTAR RESEARCHERS IN ANIMAL HEALTH, FOOD SAFETY HELP UNIVERSITY LAND NATIONAL LABORATORY FOR ANIMAL HEALTH RESEARCH
MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's solid reputation as a leader in animal health and food safety research is stronger than ever with the announcement of K-State as the site for the relocation of a federal animal health laboratory.
The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, known as NBAF, will be located adjacent to the K-State campus, bringing hundreds of animal health researchers with it.
"This might very well be the most important thing that has happened to Kansas State University in the entire history of the university," said K-State President Jon Wefald. "Never before in the history of Kansas has a national federal laboratory of this magnitude been sited in the state. We are talking about a half-billion dollar animal health facility that will be the finest laboratory of its kind in the entire world. After all, there will be hundreds of world-class scientists doing research in this facility."
K-State has more than 150 of its own faculty and staff active in the food safety and animal health arenas. Since 1999, K-State has dedicated more than $70 million to related research. K-State's expertise in animal health has a huge impact on human health as well. Many of K-State's researchers focus on zoonotic diseases — that is, diseases that can be transmitted between humans and other animals.
K-State claims nationally prominent medical defense researchers and veterinarians Jerry Jaax and Nancy Jaax. Jerry Jaax is K-State's associate vice president for research compliance and university veterinarian; Nancy Jaax is program director for food safety and security. They were key participants in dealing with the 1989 Reston Ebola outbreak. The outbreak was detailed in Richard Preston's best-selling book, "The Hot Zone."
Bringing renowned researchers from across the world to campus is not unusual. Juergen Richt is Regents Distinguished Professor of diagnostic medicine/pathobiology and Kansas Bioscience Authority Eminent Scholar at K-State. In November he was host of an Emerging Infections Symposium that brought nearly 150 researchers from around the world to K-State from across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
As the U.S. Department of Homeland Security weighed five other sites for the location of the new federal laboratory, Ron Trewyn, K-State's vice president for research, led the effort to secure NBAF. He emphasized K-State's research while coordinating outreach efforts with the Kansas Bioscience Authority, as well as with the Midwest Research Institute and the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute. Trewyn and the K-State team worked with Tom Thornton and his staff at the Kansas Bioscience Authority to coordinate collaborative efforts with multiple states and universities.
Wefald said that having NBAF near K-State will boost all sciences across campus.
"This facility will not only ratchet up all of the biosciences and all of the sciences in the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine, Agriculture, Human Ecology, Arts and Sciences and Engineering, but it also will definitely accelerate K-State's progress in terms of having the greatest food safety and security and animal health programs anywhere in the world," he said.
"In short, this decision will extraordinarily enhance K-State's standing as one of America's great research universities."
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