Member Highlights
The 2023 Year in Review: Accomplishments of the Scientific Excellence Working Group
rav3n manuscript published – antiviral research journal: Report on network origin and phase I activities
Research Alliance for Veterinary Science and Biodefense BSL-3 Network (RAV3N): Report on network origin and phase I activities
Volume 217, September 2023
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105693
more >
NBAF Communications Team
2023 RAV3N Annual meeting
The RAV3N Network held its second annual meeting on August 8-10, 2023 in Manhattan, Kansas. Over 60 members representing 16 biocontainment facilities across the U.S. and Canada gathered to share current research efforts, exchange technical knowledge, and discuss collaborative approaches to improving bio-surveillance, diagnostics, and countermeasure development against high-consequence pathogens of veterinary importance. It was great to see so many of our members in person at this very productive meeting!
RAV3N Introduction to Biocontainment Research
RAV3N (Research Alliance for Veterinary Science and Biodefense BSL-3 Network) hosted 22 high-school students at Texas A&M Global Health Research Complex (GHRC) on July 12, 2023 for a pilot outreach event entitled “Introduction to Biocontainment Research”. These students were attending a summer camp held by the Texas A&M Veterinary Science Certificate Program. In addition to learning about biocontainment research and career opportunities in this field and a tour of the facility, students engaged in hands-on activities in the training lab including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) donning and doffing, entry/exit procedures for BSL-3 laboratories, and testing out their pipetting skills at the lab bench. The students had a great time learning about biocontainment research and several expressed interest in pursuing this career option.
DHS Completes Construction, Commissioning of National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has completed the construction and commissioning of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas. NBAF is the first U.S. laboratory with biosafety level-4 containment, capable of housing large livestock animals; and one of only a few facilities in the world with these capabilities. With contract administration support from DHS’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), the DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) managed and completed the project under the $1.25 billion budget for the construction and commissioning effort, which spanned 17 years from initial planning to completion.
more >
Dr. Motroni – 2022 Rising Star Alumna Award recipient UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Motroni is honored with the Rising Star Alumna Award for recognition of Pajaroellobacter abortibovis, the long-sought-after causative agent of bovine foothill abortion (a tick-borne disease that causes pregnancy loss affecting cattle in California, Nevada and Oregon - a vaccine is now available), and for national leadership in the diagnosis and prevention of infectious diseases of livestock.
Dr. Motroni is National Program Leader for Animal Health for the US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS).
Dr. Motroni was selected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Executive Branch Fellow in the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) working in the Foreign Animal Disease Vaccines and Diagnostics Program and the International FMD Vaccine Trial.
Subsequently, she was appointed as a program manager in the DHS Agricultural Defense Branch responsible for foreign animal disease programs and policies.
Since 2017, she has been the USDA–ARS National Program Leader for Animal Health with responsibility for the National Animal Health Research Program at ARS, oversight as ARS Science Team Lead of the research transition plan for the Plum Island Animal Disease Center to the National Bio and Agrodefense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan (KS), and the NBAF ARS Workforce Development Plan.
Congratulations Dr. Motroni!
UTMB One Health
The UTMB One Health Research and Training Program is a team of professionals involved in applying One Health approaches to mitigate complex health programs in multiple countries.