Animal
Session Instructors
BIOSAFETY and BIOSECURITY TRAINING COURSE - 2008
Melissa de la Garza
Dr. de la Garza graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine
in College Station, TX in 2004. Upon graduation, she took a clinical
position at the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Southwest
Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) in San Antonio TX. In this
capacity she works with the 4 other clinical veterinarian and 2 veterinary
pathologist to maintain the health status of approximately 6,000 nonhuman
primates (chimpanzees, macaques, baboons, callitrichidae); her primary clinical
interest being the chimpanzees. She provides clinical and experimental
surgical support for all species as needed, and facilitates animal research
projects. Additionally, she provides back-up veterinary support for
the ABSL-4 facility. In the fall of 2004 she was given the additional
responsibilities of managing the newly constructed SNPRC ABSL-3 laboratory. This
laboratory’s primary focus is on the use of nonhuman primates in high
level biocontainment. Dr. de la Garza was responsible for selecting
the equipment, designing procedures, writing SOPs, and training the staff
to work in the laboratory. The facility began its first infectious disease
study in July 2006, and has been operational since that time. As the
ABSL-3 Manager she acts as lead veterinarian for ABSL-3 projects; works with
investigators to design and implement animal projects; acts as project coordinator;
is responsible for new and renewal training of ABSL-3 animal technical staff;
and is ultimately responsible for the daily operations of the facility.
Paul S. Morley
Paul S. Morley, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM, is an Associate
Professor and active member of the Animal Population Health Institute
at Colorado State University. He serves as Director of Biosecurity
for the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and has academic
appointments in the Clinical Sciences Dept. and the Environmental and
Radiological Health Sciences Dept. in the College of Veterinary Medicine
and Biomedical Sciences. He teaches epidemiology and infection control
in the undergraduate, veterinary, and graduate programs at CSU, and
maintains an active research program. Major focuses for his professional
and research activities include promoting solutions for biosecurity
issues important to agriculture and veterinary medicine, identifying
effective pre-harvest approaches for food-safety, and investigating
the ecology of antimicrobial resistance in animals. Dr. Morley is an
active member of several professional organizations, including the
American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, the Association for
Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, the Veterinary Infection
Control Society, and the Academy of Veterinary Consultants. Dr. Morley
served on the faculty at The Ohio State University for three years before
joining the faculty at Colorado State University. He is a native of Nevada
and received baccalaureate degrees and his veterinary medical degree
from Washington State University. After graduating from WSU, he served
as an intern and resident in the area of large animal internal medicine
at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
He received his doctorate from that institution studying the epidemiology
of infectious respiratory disease in horses. He is a Diplomate of the
American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Dr. Morley is a recognized
authority on epidemiology and infection control in animal populations
and has consulted on infection control and biosecurity issues at several
veterinary colleges in North America as well as for several intensive
animal production facilities.
Scott Rusk
Mr. Scott Rusk is currently Associate Director for the Biosecurity Research
Institute at Kansas State University. He has over 20 years of work experience
in biological safety and infectious disease containment facilities and has
participated nationally and internationally in defining approaches for facility
needs, design, operations and management of containment facilities. Scott
previously held positions as Assistant Center Director at the USDA, National
Animal Disease Center managing operations and support services and as Biocontainment
Operations and Management Specialist with Flad & Associates. He has been
involved in design for multiple project types, including Biosafety Level
4 at the USAMRIID; Biosafety Level 3-Ag at the USDA, Ohio State University,
and the University of Wisconsin; Biosafety Level 3-Enhanced at Battelle's
Medical Testing & Evaluation Facility; and Biosafety Level 3 Regional Biocontainment
Facilities for the University of Chicago and Tufts University. Scott received
a Masters of Science degree from Iowa State University, is a member of the
American Biological Safety Association and a charter member of the International
Veterinary Biosafety Working Group.
David H. Neil
Dr. David Neil graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University
of Liverpool in 1959, and subsequently received membership in the Royal
College of Veterinary Surgeons (UK). Dr. Neil has headed laboratory animal
programs for the Institute of Biological Sciences, National Research Council,
and the Health Protection Branch, Department of Health and Welfare, both
in Ottawa, Canada. From 1976 to 1986 he was Director, Laboratory Animal
Resources at Colorado State University. In 1986 Neil was appointed Director
and Professor, Health Sciences Laboratory Animal Services, Faculty of
Medicine, University of Alberta. Over the years he has concentrated on
training and developing the technical echelon responsible for animal care
and technical services in a wide range of situations including biocontainment.
Neil has consulted on animal facility programming and development across
the North American continent, and is a partner in the laboratory and animal
facility planners, EnvirAnQuest. David Neil believes that effective infrastructure
for research involving laboratory animals requires the right facilities
and the right equipment in the hands of a well trained, well organized
and well managed work force.