Plans Discussed for Alabama-China Joint Scientific Effort to Improve Food Safety

NANJING, CHINA -- While in China this week on a business and trade mission, Governor Bob Riley is promoting efforts to link scientists from Huntsville with Chinese health agencies to improve public health and food safety.

The Governor and Dr. Jian Han of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology have met with the leaders of public health agencies in the cities of Shanghai and Nanjing.

Alabama Governor Riley discusses food safety in China: Dr. Jian Han of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (pointing) and Gov. Bob Riley tour laboratories at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Prevention and Control in Nanjing, China. Photo courtesy Alabama Governor's office.

The purpose is to establish joint venture laboratories where scientists can apply advanced genomic technologies for improved detections and monitoring of foodborne pathogens and other public health threats.

“There are very few things we do in government that are as important as food safety,” Governor Riley told leaders of the Shanghai Municipal Food and Drug Administration. “Because of scientific work going on in Alabama, we have the opportunity to cultivate relationships throughout the world that lead to improvements in public health, and that will benefit all of us.”

The technology that has been developed by Dr. Han can test quickly for foodborne pathogens and multiple disease-causing microorganisms. It is a rapid molecular diagnostic test. With just one sample, the technology can run one test that - in just a few hours - recognizes as many as 20 different bacteria or viruses.

“Before our technology was invented, the traditional method of detecting bacteria or viruses was in a culture, which could take days,” said Dr. Han. “Other molecular methods that directly identify bacteria also exist, but they can detect only one pathogen at a time. Our technology is unique because it detects many relevant pathogens together.”

Dr. Han has extensive experience developing technologies and products for public health applications. During the SARS outbreak of 2003, Dr. Han’s company, Genaco, developed and deployed the world’s first molecular differential diagnostic test that detected the SARS virus and 10 other pathogens commonly associated with respiratory infections. Before joining HudsonAlpha, he led a team of scientists in developing close to a dozen products for the diagnosis of different infectious syndromes.

Quickly detecting foodborne illnesses and infections is a special concern of the leaders of Shanghai. The city will host the World Expo in 2010, which is expected to draw 70 million visitors to the city over a six-month period.

Governor Riley and Dr. Han met with officials of two Shanghai public health agencies - the Shanghai Municipal Food and Drug Administration and the Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In Nanjing, they met with leaders of the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Prevention and Control. The province of Jiangsu has a population of 75 million.

Source: Alabama Governor

Bookmark/Search this post with:

 •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •