Animal Health Policy

The University: Experience and Qualifications

Since its founding in 1855 as the first land grant university in the U.S., Michigan State University has adhered to its original mission: to “strive to discover practical uses for theoretical knowledge, and to speed the diffusion of information to residents of the state, the nation, and the world.” In operational terms, MSU has concentrated on building its strengths in educating and training succeeding generations of researchers both from the U.S. and the world at large. It has sought to establish collaborative links with people and institutions worldwide, broadening its research, academic and service outreach.

MSU is recognized as a center of excellence in international development. The academic and professional community at Michigan State is highly diverse and responsive and augments the University’s international goals with a broad array of globally relevant skills and expertise. People from every county in Michigan, every state in the U.S. and 134 countries around the world contribute to the University’s success. Annually, more than 3500 international students and scholars enroll in MSU’s graduate and undergraduate and certificate programs. MSU plays host to hundreds of international visitors every year who come to view campus research facilities, participate in campus life as visiting scholars and specialists, or to meet with MSU colleagues. Hundreds of MSU faculty members are engaged in critical outreach programs in many countries throughout the world, teaching, conducting research or providing technical assistance.

For more than 50 years, Michigan State University has been a leader among U.S. universities in international development programs. MSU has had a broad and deepening involvement in conducting technical assistance and research in developing countries, assisting the development of new institutions, and providing training for development tasks. MSU, through its Departments and Institutes and Centers, has also managed projects throughout the world, providing short- and long-term in-country technical assistance, degree and non-degree training programs, and extensive backstopping support from the main campus. The Office of the Dean of International Studies and Programs has overall responsibility for the university’s international initiatives. While historically a majority of MSU’s international development and technical assistance projects have been conducted by faculty in various departments of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, international expertise is increasingly incorporated into all aspects of university life marking MSU as a global university.

The Office of Contract and Grant Administration (CGA) holds fiscal audit authority and responsibility for the MSU contractual portfolio with both domestic and international external donors. In fiscal 2006-2007 awards for sponsored projects reached $308 million. To ensure that MSU is aware of, and can comply with the various agency regulations, CGA is organized by funding agency. CGA has a separate group dedicated to administration of international projects.

Emerging Disease – Animals and Public Health Implications

Approximately 70 percent of all emerging and resurgent diseases of humans also occur in domestic and/or wild animals. Diseases or disease-producing agents that occur in humans and animals are termed “zoonotic.”

Population densities of humans, domestic animals and wildlife across the world are more than sufficient to foster the emergence, resurgence and establishment of zoonotic diseases.

MSU is fortunate to have nationally recognized expertise in zoonotic diseases in its programs of agriculture and natural resources, and in the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. Equally important is the expertise MSU has in animal science, microbiology, wildlife biology, and human and animal health. MSU’s Center for Emerging and Infectious Diseases focuses research and outreach activities on emerging zoonotic diseases. It fosters interdisciplinary approaches toward understanding the processes involved in disease emergence.

Preparedness to respond to emerging diseases due to natural events or human acts is of high national and international interest. MSU can ill afford to abdicate its leadership role among institutions in strengthening the infrastructure and finding the resources needed to address the challenges posed by disease outbreaks: tools such as better diagnostic tests and possible interventions such as drugs and vaccines. MSU’s centers and institutes include:

• Center for Advanced Microscopy
• Center for Animal Functional Genomics
• Center for Biological Modeling
• Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Center for Microbial Ecology
• Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health
• Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station
• MSU Center for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Science
• MSU Genomics Technology Support Facility
• MSU Core Flow Cytometry Facility
• MSU Macromolecular Structure, Sequencing and Synthesis Facility
• Michigan State University Extension
• National Food and Toxicology Center
• Population Medicine Center

Globalization has helped various countries of the world to come together and has helped the economies of both poorer and richer countries to address health issues. Addressing new threats to public health requires increased collaboration between researchers, human medical practitioners, veterinarians, environmental experts and human health officials. MSU is uniquely situated with this confluence of centers to provide ample opportunities for research and for the training of students and international visiting scholars.