ANIMAL DISEASES

Thomas Yuill
Former director of the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
(608) 265-5296
tmyuill@facstaff.wisc.edu

Yuill is an expert in the transmission of viral diseases between organisms. He can discuss the different mechanisms by which diseases spread from one organism to another, as well as the differences in studying diseases resulting from different agents - viruses, bacteria and proteins.

BASIC SCIENCE RESEARCH

Judd Aiken
Professor of animal health and biomedical sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine
(608) 262-7362
jma@ahabs.wisc.edu

Aiken can discuss research efforts underway to better understand CWD. Currently, his lab is diagnosing affected deer and identifying molecular similarities among those infected, as well as studying deer's genetic susceptibility to the disease. An expert on prion diseases, Aiken can highlight similarities and differences between CWD and mad cow disease, scrapie in sheep and Creutzfeldt Jakob disease in humans.

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BASIC SCIENCE RESEARCH

Joel Pedersen
Assistant professor of soil science
(608) 263-4971
joelpedersen@wisc.edu

Pedersen studies the environmental behavior of the CWD agent, specifically the role of soil as an environmental reservoir for the infective prion. In particular, he is examining the influence of specific soil components on the degree of persistence, degradation and transport of the CWD agent. With the help of a Department of Defense grant, Pedersen hopes to uncover new information relevant to intraspecific transmission of the disease, disease control efforts, and the disposal of infected carcasses.

BIG PICTURE ISSUES

Scott Craven
Chair of the wildlife ecology department, UW-Extension
(608) 263-6325
srcraven@facstaff.wisc.edu

Craven has been working with the DNR on this issue since the first infected deer was identified in February; he can comment on many aspects of the CWD situation, including the DNR's response.

Related links:
Processing Your Deer: Deer processing is no long "business as usual" in Wisconsin (PDF file, published by UW-Extension)

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DEER ECOLOGY AND GENETICS

Nancy Mathews
Associate professor of wildlife ecology
(608) 263-6697
nemathew@wisc.edu

Mathews studies the social interactions and movement among deer, as well as deer genetics; she can discuss the role that each topic might play in the transmission and eradication of CWD.

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DIAGNOSTICS

Philip Bochsler
Professor of clinical diagnostics
(608) 262-5432
phil.bochsler@wvdl.wisc.edu

Bochsler is the chief pathologist at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory who is analyzing tissue samples taken from deer killed in the eradication zone; he can discuss the techniques used to detect CWD infection.

DIAGNOSTIC RESOURCES

Robert Shull
Director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
(608) 262-5422
robert.shull@wvdl.wisc.edu

Shull can discuss the resources and methods used and/or needed to diagnose CWD: personnel, supplies, reagents and space.

Related links:
UW lab to test for deer disease (News release, Aug. 7, 2002)

DISEASE ECOLOGY

Thomas Givnish
Professor of botany, Institute for Environmental Studies
(608) 262-5718
givnish@facstaff.wisc.edu

Givnish is a plant ecologist and an expert on the ecology of diseases. He can discuss factors influencing the rate of CWD's spread and the impacts it could have on the environment.

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ECONOMIC RAMIFICATIONS

Richard Bishop
Chair of the applied and agricultural economics department
(608) 262-8966
bishop@madmail.aae.wisc.edu

Bishop can talk about the possible economic ramifications of CWD on the hunting industry, as well as the Wisconsin economy.

Related links:
The Economic Effects in 2002 of Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin (PDF file)

FOOD SAFETY

Barbara Ingham
Assistant professor of food science, UW-Extension
(608) 263-7383
bhingham@facstaff.wisc.edu

Ingham can address food safety issues relating to a number of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, including mad cow disease; guidelines in states where CWD is endemic; and policies regarding venison donations to food pantries.

HUMAN HEALTH

Dennis Maki
Professor of medicine and head of infectious diseases
(608) 263-1545
dgmaki@medicine.wisc.edu

Maki can talk about prion diseases in people and the risk of CWD transmission to people.

HUNTING

Tom Heberlein
Professor emeritus of rural sociology and specialist in hunting culture
(608) 695-7086
taheberl@facstaff.wisc.edu

Heberlein can discuss the potential effects of CWD on hunting in Wisconsin and highlight trends in other states affected by the disease.

MANAGEMENT

John Cary
Software engineer in the department of wildlife ecology
(608) 263-6710
jrcary@facstaff.wisc.edu

Cary has developed modeling software that estimates the spread and eradication of CWD based on deer location, social interactions, population hunting strategies and current data on infected deer. Cary's model is being used by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to develop appropriate and effective strategies to manage CWD.

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MEAT PROCESSING

Dennis Buege
Professor of meat and animal science and extension meat specialist, UW-Extension
(608) 262-0555
drbuege@facstaff.wisc.edu

Buege is familiar with the practice of processing deer meat and has works closely with meat processing plants to devise safe handling measures.

Related links:
Processing Your Deer: Deer processing is no long "business as usual" in Wisconsin (PDF file, published by UW-Extension)

PUBLIC POLICY

Stephen Born
Chair of the urban and regional planning department, UW-Extension
(608) 262-9985
smborn@facstaff.wisc.edu

Born can discuss the issues of public policy from an environmental management perspective; he can address the role that science, government institutions and public interest play in managing the deer population.

WILDLIFE DISEASE ECOLOGY

Michael Samuel
Assistant Unit Leader, Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit in the Wildlife Ecology Department
(608) 263-6882
mdsamuel@wisc.edu

Samuel studies wildlife disease ecology and is currently working with the DNR on transmission of CWD in white-tailed deer, mapping and surveillance for CWD in Wisconsin and epizootological modeling of CWD. He can discuss factors related to CWD transmission, patterns of disease spread and potential management strategies.