Director of ZVED to present keynote address for 2008 annual meeting of the FAZD Center

The director of the National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (ZVED) will present the keynote address for the annual meeting of the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense (the FAZD Center), Feb. 28-29 at Texas A&M University.

Lonnie J. King, DVM, will present national and global perspectives on zoonotic diseases – those that are transmittable between animals and humans. He also will discuss the scientific pursuit of the “one medicine” concept to treat these diseases in both animals and humans. ZVED is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nine of the 10 highest priority human threat agents are diseases transmitted from animals.

Before coming to National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases, King served as the first director of CDC’s Office of Strategy and Innovation (OSI). In 2006, King became a new member of the FDA Scientific Board. He was dean and professor of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, roles he took on in 1996. Before that, he dedicated 20 years of his career to the United States Department of Agriculture. As administrator for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, he provided executive leadership and direction for ensuring the health and care of animals and plants, to improve agricultural productivity and competitiveness, and to contribute to the national economy and public health. During that period, King also served as the country’s chief veterinary officer for five years and worked extensively in global trade agreements within NAFTA and the World Trade Organization.

In addition, the program will feature these guest speakers:
• Tom McGinn, chief veterinarian and director of food, agricultural and veterinary security for the Department of Homeland Security.
• Mark Teachman, acting director, National Center for Animal Health Emergency Management, Interagency Coordination.
• David Walker for the HHS Western Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Infectious Disease Research.
• Stephan Johnston, director, Center for Innovations in Medicine Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University.
• Tom McKenna, director, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
• Pat Fitch, director, National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center.

The objectives of this year’s meeting are to :
1. Gain perspective and guidance from national stakeholders and advisors on the strategy and vision for the center.
2. Provide brief overviews of the FAZD Center core programs as reflected in its new grant from the theme leaders' perspective.
3. Hear key presentations on areas of cross-cutting research for the center.
4. Hold closed breakout sessions for the three thematic groups within the center after the annual meeting is concluded.
5. Hold a separate meeting of the External Advisory. Committee for reflection on presentations and development of specific guidance to the center. This includes contributing to the perspective on opportunities and threats for the center as it approaches preparation for competing renewal in about 18 months.

A major focus of the agenda is on the inter-thematic opportunities for current and future linkages and collaboration across the center.

The meeting will also provide a venue for separate sessions of the three thematic groups (Biological Systems, Information Analysis Systems, and Education and Outreach Systems) to solidify interactions between projects and objectives within themes and to reflect on opportunities identified in this meeting for inter-thematic engagements.

To view the agenda, click here.

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