Newsletter Fall 2004
A Note from the Institute Director:
The mission statement for the Institute for Bio-Security at Saint Louis University School of Public Health indicates that we will provide health professionals, other response organizations, and the public with the readiness education needed for preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation of emerging public health threats.
That is a mission that we have taken very seriously, and we have done so since July 2000, when the Institute (then named the Center for the Study of Bioterrorism & Emerging Infections) was established. Through the vision and support of Missouri Senator Kit Bond, government funding was obtained through the CDC to establish our Center in order that bio-security preparedness education material would be generated for health professionals and the public at large.
We are proud of our accomplishments in this field, and have done our best to be good stewards of our funding. We have, for example, generated 11 multimedia CD-ROMs providing public health and infection control professionals and physicians with critical information on bioterrorism agent pathogens, workforce preparedness training, planning, and response, and key epidemiologic resources. In addition, our Bioterrorism Preparedness website (bioterrorism.slu.edu) is a dynamic and comprehensive resource that continues to be one of the most visited bioterrorism sites on the Internet. Also, we continue our educational mission by disseminating training tools, online learning opportunities, scholarly publications in academic journals, conferences, keynotes and public policy papers, and expert media analysis from our committed and respected faculty and staff.
The future is very bright indeed. With Senator Bond's help this summer, we received an additional $300,000 in funding for the upcoming fiscal year. These funds will underwrite key initiatives that are already moving forward. They include an expansion of our recently developed smallpox scenarios so that tabletop exercises can be presented in locations across the country. They also include an ongoing analysis of exercise questions and goals that need to be identified and communicated in order to maximize the effectiveness of the exercises. Among our major projects, we are also developing a Master of Science degree in Bio-Security for which we hope to begin accepting students in Summer, 2005.
Our important work continues -- and it is through the ongoing commitment of our faculty and staff, along with the financial support of our colleagues at the federal and state government levels, that we are able to bring you news of our latest projects for educating public health professionals and the general public about bioterrorism preparedness issues. We are truly grateful for your support, and we encourage your feedback so that we can establish an ongoing dialogue to share bio-security knowledge that will make our country a safer place for all of us.
R. Greg Evans, Director
Institute for Bio-Security
Saint Louis University School of Public Health
Important Announcement Regarding Newsletter Publishing Cycle:
The Institute newsletter board recently decided to alter the publishing schedule for the newsletter. Previously a monthly publication, the newsletter from this point forward will publish on a quarterly basis. Thus, this Fall issue of the newsletter will be followed in January, 2005 with a Winter issue, with seasonal newsletters to follow. The Institute website can be updated with faculty and staff news in a more timely and less expensive manner than we employ with the newsletter. And resources currently devoted to publishing the newsletter will be redirected to allow us to be even more productive in the area of bio-security preparedness. As a reminder, you may view all current and past newsletters on the Institute's bioterrorism website at http://bioterrorism.slu.edu/
Institute Newsletter Seeks Readers’ Submissions:
The Institute Newsletter board recently received permission to request submissions of articles of interest from our subscribers. Pieces (op-eds, book reviews, commentaries, notices of conferences or published works, etc.) should run 100-300 words and address issues of interest to the preparedness community and the subscribers of this newsletter. No guarantee of publication is implied; however, within space and time limitations, every effort will be made to include pertinent and timely information submitted by our readers. Interested parties should send articles via email to bioterr@slu.edu
Institute Plans Flu Education Campaign with Experts from Around the Country:
Working group will focus on rapid production of media-based flu messages for the general public. Read
the full story.
Institute's Journal Club Resumes in November with Discussion on Surveillance Systems for Early Detection of Bioterrorism-Related Diseases
Ryan Newkirk of the Institute staff leads discussion with other Institute members along with students and faculty of the Saint Louis University School of Public Health. Read
the full story.
ASPH Partners with CDC and HRSA on National Preparedness Meetings:
The Institute, along with over 250 professionals in preparedness education and training attend. Read
the full story.
Smallpox Exercise Program Development Continues
Exercises will be field-tested in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Read
the full story.
Recent Institute CD-ROM Products Available through Website:
Now is a good opportunity to complete your collection of the Institute's latest offerings Read
the full story.
The Terrorism Knowledge Base (www.tkb.org) is Now Online:
This free resource for comprehensive research on domestic and international terrorism is fully operational Read the full story.
Information Of Note...
Conferences and Events of Interest
A list of upcoming professional
events.
National Conference on the Science and Law of Combating Terrorism
October 21-23, 2004
Pittsburgh, PA
Purdue Food Science
Food Biosecurity Simulation
October 26-27, 2004
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Rural Homeland Security Technology Expo
October 21-22, 2004
Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
CERMUSA Expo Main Page
Planning for and Responding to Threats to the U.S. Homeland
Washington, D.C.
October 28-29, 2004
Crossing Boundaries: Medical Biodefense & Civilian Medicine
November 21-23, 2004
Arlington, VA
Global Homeland Security Conference & Expo
Protecting the Nation's Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets
November 22 - 23, 2004
Arlington, VA
132nd Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association
November 6 - 10, 2004
Washington, DC
Agricultural Bioterrorism
March 25-26, 2005
Manhattan, KS
Koch Crime Institute, 1-800-375-5624, ext. 309
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