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K-State Today

March 12, 2018

TAD fellows give BRI tour to President Richard Myers

Submitted by Joe Montgomery

TAD fellows with President Richard Myers

The lines of policy and science recently intersected between a select group of graduate students in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Kansas State University president, Richard B. Myers.

A video crew had been recording some remarks by Myers at the Biosecurity Research Institute to address the importance of strong food security to provide support for the upcoming U.S. Farm Bill. After wrapping up, Myers was invited to take an impromptu tour of the teaching laboratory, where he met with the Transboundary Animal Disease, or TAD, fellows.

"The TAD program leverages the expertise and resources of the BRI to train next-generation M.S., Ph.D., DVM and postdoctoral researchers to work in high and maximum-containment environments on TADs," said Dana Vanlandingham, associate professor of virology in the diagnostic medicine/pathobiology department. "We were very excited to show off some of what our students have been doing at the BRI."

Myers and Vanlandingham were joined by Christian Cook, a doctoral student in pathobiology; Hannah White, a master's degree student in biomedical sciences; MaRyka Smith, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine/doctoral student in pathobiology; Matthew Olcha, a 2017 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduate and current doctoral student in pathobiology; Rachel Palinski, a postdoctoral fellow in diagnostic medicine and pathobiology; and Victoria Ayers, a doctoral student in pathobiology.

Some of the classes required for the TAD fellows include DMP 690 Essential Practices for BSL-3 Research Settings, DMP 895-B Select Agent Studies, and DMP 893 Principles of Biosafety and Biocontainment. The TAD fellows donned personal protective equipment and simulated BSL-3 laboratory work for Myers, before taking a break for a group photo.

Vanlandingham pointed out how the experience available through the TAD fellows could help address the critical need for a skilled workforce that will be required when the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility, or NBAF, opens in Manhattan.

More information about the TAD fellows program is posted online