Dr. Ermias Belay, M.D.
Medical Epidemiologist
Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Belay is a leading expert in the epidemiology of prion diseases, and he coordinates the Centers for Disease Control’s prion disease surveillance and research activities. He has authored numerous articles on prion diseases, such as “The Public Health Impact of Prion Diseases” and “Chronic Wasting Disease and Potential Transmission to Humans.”
 

Dr. Pierluigi Gambetti, M.D.
Professor and Director
Division of Neuropathology, Case Western Reserve University

Gambetti’s research focuses on prion diseases. He is the Director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center. He has co-authored publications such as “Inherited Prion Diseases” and “From Microbes to Prions: The Final Proof of the Prion Hypothesis.”
 

Dr. Linda Detwiler, D.V.M.
Adjunct Professor
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

Detwiler has served as a consultant for multiple TSE-related animal health issues. She has also served as Senior Staff Veterinarian, Emergency Programs Staff for the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), and as Veterinarian in Charge, APHIS’s Veterinary Services.
 

Dr. Katherine (Trina) McMahon
Assistant Professor
Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin

McMahon is currently conducting research into the ability of prions to withstand the processes used to treat wastewater. Research goals are to determine what percentage of prions would be degraded versus released back into the environment, and to determine if prions would remain infectious following conventional wastewater treatment.
 

Dr. Alwynelle S. Ahl, Ph.D., D.V.M
Former Director, Office of Risk Assessment (Retired)
United States Department of Agriculture

Ahl’s expertise is in the areas of risk assessment and risk communication, and she has experience in providing regulatory oversight in the areas of animal health and food safety. Ahl is a Fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis.
 

Dr. Robert Somerville
Institute for Animal Health
United Kingdom

Dr. Robert P. Ellis, Ph.D.
Professor
Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University

Ellis is a certified Biological Safety Professional. In addition to his professorial duties, he also serves as the Biosafety Officer for CSU, where his responsibilities include oversight and training to ensure all research involving infectious agents is conducted according to university and national standards and guidelines. He is the Executive Director of the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases, an international research organization.
 

Dr. Robert Rohwer, Ph.D
Director
Molecular Neurovirology Laboratory, VA Medical Center 151, Baltimore

Rohwer brings expertise in the elimination of TSE infectivity and the mechanisms for inactivating prions. His
research has been funded by various agencies including National Institutes for Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Veterans Administration.
  

Dr. Fran Kremer, Ph.D.
Senior Science Advisor
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
US Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, Ohio

Dr. Kremer has conducted research on prion fate and transport in the environment, and has authored papers such as “Presentation and Discussion of BSE and SRM disposal and processing research and issues.”
 

John R. Dunn, P.E.
Assistant Director – City of Ames representative
Ames Water and Pollution Control Department

Dunn has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a master’s degree in business administration. He has worked in the water and wastewater field for 17 years and has experience in analytical chemistry, environmental engineering, and utility management. He is a licensed professional engineer in the field of environmental engineering.
  

Dr. Jim Colbert, Ph.D.
Associate Professor – Ames citizen observer
Iowa State University