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Too Hot to Handle: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Historic, Foreign, and Quarantined Pathogen Collections​

Broadcast Date: November 7, 2024 | 1:00pm - 2:30pm Central

Webinar Summary

Microbe collections are on the front lines of plant pathology investigations. They are not easily located, and access is challenging. This session aims to explore the establishment, regulation, and research of microbe collections that are historic, non-endemic, or quarantined. Plant and microbe collections are the backbone of sustainable research into pathogen and plant evolution, disease resistance, epidemiology, taxonomy, and global plant health. These collections are an important reference when exploring and quantifying the impacts of global climate change and pathogen evolution on plant health.

An important regulatory network has been established that often makes working with historic, non-endemic, or quarantined pathogens challenging without prior approval. This regulatory network is an important aspect of safely and ethically researching the impacts of microbes on plant health. Recently USDA-APHIS has changed its permitting processes. This is relevant to all scientists looking to work with plant pathogens that were not originally isolated in the state in which they work or historic isolates from their state.

Given the added regulatory framework, we would like to highlight some research programs that are actively utilizing collections that are impacted by government oversight to:

1. ensure researchers know of applicable regulations
2. foster collaboration between researchers interested in working with historic, non-endemic, or quarantined microbe collections and those who maintain these collections
3. provide insights on how to effectively and safely maintain historic, non-endemic, or quarantined microbe collections

By bringing awareness to these collections and the regulatory framework surrounding them, we hope to advance plant health science by promoting collaborative research opportunities with these diverse collections and promoting safe, sustainable research that leads to effective management of plant-microbe collections towards the facilitation of global plant health.

Learning Objectives

1. Attendees will learn about potential collaborative opportunities with labs currently working with historic, non-endemic, or quarantined microbe collections subject to additional governmental regulation.
2. Attendees will learn about microbe conservation and preservation practices.
3. The target audience of this special session includes any scientist who:
   • Wants to work with non-endemic, historic, or quarantined pathogen collections and/or needs to update their permits to do so.
   • Wants to learn about collaboration opportunities for working with exotic or historic plant pathogen collections.
   • Is interested in monitoring pathogen or virulence distribution.

Presenters

Moderator

Jason Zurn

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Speakers

• Dr. Yilmaz Balci
• Dr. Pablo Olivera Firpo
• Dr. Doug Luster
• Dr. Ron French