Early Warning and Integrated Management of Natural Toxin Events
On June 19th and 20th, prior to the 2009 Gordon Research Conference on Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins, a Satellite Workshop entitled “Early Warning and Integrated Management of Natural Toxin Events” will be held in Bar Harbor, Maine. It is co-chaired by Dr. James Pestka (Michigan State University; Pestka@msu.edu) and Dr. Vera Trainer (NOAA; Vera.L.Trainer@noaa.gov).

The goal of this workshop is to advance the development of predictive technologies in order to prevent the high impact of mycotoxin/phycotoxin events and minimize risk. It will bring together scientists from allied disciplines to discuss and assess these recent developments.

The format for the workshop will be lectures in the mornings by cutting-edge, internationally-renowned scientists followed by “hands-on” workshops in the afternoons in a new demonstration lab by companies specializing in cell and toxin detection as well as and agencies specializing in integrated management. This format provides an opportunity to both users and potential users in basic research and health-related fields to view the most recent developments in mycotoxin and phycotoxin prediction and detection in a relaxed and personable venue.

This year the workshop will be held on Friday June 19th and Saturday June 20th, 2009 at the Mount Desert Biological Laboratory in Salisbury Cove, Maine. It is closest to the Bangor, ME airport (about 1.5 hr drive) and about a 4.5 hour drive from there to the GRC location at Colby-Sawyer College, which can leisurely be done on Sunday.

Please see http://www.mdibl.org/courses/grcsat09.shtml for more information on registration, the workshop agenda, invited speakers and demonstrators.

For information on the GRC, please visit http://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?year=2009&program=mycotoxins