Mission and Purpose

To identify, prioritize, facilitate and conduct research, education and outreach related

to national needs in microbial forensic science with respect to pathogens of crops, forests, rangelands, animal production, wildlife and on foods. The center’s goal is also to bring together the scientific agencies and individuals that are dedicated to microbial forensics for biosecurity.

 

The microbial forensics community    provides

leadership and coordination, backed by solid science, to support the of pathogenic microbe to the U.S. food and agriculture infrastructure through tool development, pathway analysis and communication.

 

Goals

• Assess current national capabilities in microbial forensics as related to plant pathogens
  and food safety.
• Provide strategic planning, a long-range vision and prioritization of needs and resources related to plant and food-related microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity.
• Interact with federal and state agencies to develop targeted funding programs for high-priority research and technology development in plant- and food-related microbial forensics
  and agricultural biosecurity.
• Establish a coalition of national and state investigators conducting research on crop and food biosecurity and forensics issues.
• Provide institutional recognition and a frameworks that will attract highly qualified faculty, post-doctoral, researchers, graduate students and technicians, and serve as a supportive infrastructure attractive to funding agencies.
• Serve as a focal point for communication, cooperation, collaboration, funding initiatives and outreach related to crop and food biosecurity and microbial forensics.
• Develop educational (coursework) and training (workshops) opportunities related to agricultural microbial forensics for students and stakeholders, in cooperation with OSU Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa and other state and national agencies and entities.
• Communicate and work in parallel, locally and nationally, with microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity programs related to animal and human pathogens.