Partnerships to Improve Animal Biologics
Dr. James A. Roth is an immunologist who works on numerous fronts to improve the availability and use of biologics for animal health needs worldwide. In addition to his teaching and a very active research program, Dr. Roth serves as the Executive Director of the Institute for International Cooperation in Animal Biologics (IICAB).

IICAB is a jointly organized USDA – ISU institute that offers training, education, and other assistance to countries as they work to obtain veterinary biologics for animal health needs. As an international resource, IICAB works with the veterinary biologics industry, government regulatory and research agencies, universities, veterinarians and producers worldwide.

Under Dr. Roth’s leadership, the IICAB received designation in June 1998 as a component of the OIE Collaborating Centre for the Diagnosis of Animal Diseases and Vaccine Evaluation in the Americas. The designation is shared with the USDA APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories and Center for Veterinary Biologics - Laboratory in Ames. ISU is the only veterinary college in this hemisphere to have designation as an OIE Collaborating Centre.

To recognize the impact of his contributions to international veterinary medicine, the AVMA selected Dr. Roth as the 2001 recipient of the International Veterinary Congress Prize.

About IICAB

Food Safety & Risk Assessment
Dr. George W. Beran has worked throughout the world as an expert in risk assessment related to food borne pathogens. Although he recently retired from teaching and now carries the title of professor emeritus, he continues to serve in significant appointments with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

As a WHO / FAO expert, he serves as a resource in food safety activities and leads expert panels on assessment of risk for microbiological food borne pathogens. Eighty (80) percent of food-borne diseases are from animal products, Dr. Beran explains; and there are about 250 diseases worldwide that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Eliminating salmonella is a particular emphasis in Dr. Beran’s current work. He led ISU’s involvement and served as chair of the Food Safety Research Program, a component of a three-university Food Safety Consortium. He is director of ISU’s World Health Organization Collaborating Center in Risk Assessment and Hazard Intervention in Foods of Animal Origin, which is the only WHO center in Iowa.

Earlier in his research career, Dr. Beran played a leadership role in developing a program for the USDA to implement for the eradication of pseudorabies in swine. Dr. Beran has worked on disease control strategies in at least one foreign country every year for the last 43 years. In addition to food borne pathogens, he directs some of his attention to rabies control, which is a major problem in many developing countries.

<<Previous Page