AIMS Meeting Book_MYM2023

Cyclospora cayetanensis at CDC with funds from the Advanced Molecular Detection initiative. This program was funded at $500,000/year for 5 years. In September of 2014, Alex joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to build and lead a program focused on foodborne parasitology at CFSAN. He currently leads the FDA Cyclospora task force to address knowledge gaps, develop prevention-based approaches and enhance the FDA’s response to Cyclospora issues. He is the elected Convener Support Team for the ISO Technical Committee 34, Subcommittee 9 (ISO TC34/SC9) /WG6 (Foodborne Parasites) for a term of 3 years starting in 2021 and the lead of an ISO project to develop an international standard for the detection of C. cayetanensis in produce under ISO TC34/SC9/WG6. Alex has authored/co-authored more than 130 publications and book chapters in biological studies, detection of parasites, surveillance, and outbreak investigations of parasitic diseases. He serves as associated editor on editorial boards of reputable scientific journals such as Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology and Journal of Food Protection.

Michael Loewenstein, Q Laboratories Michael Loewenstein is the current Vice President of Scientific Consulting at Q Labs LLC in Cincinnati, OH. Mr. Loewenstein earned his B.S. in Microbiology, with a research focus in Molecular Genetics and Cellular Physiology from The Ohio State University. After graduation in 2011, Michael obtained a position in Corporate R&D Microbiology at Procter & Gamble before joining Q Labs in January 2019. Throughout the course of his career, Michael has developed a substantial depth of

expertise in “end-to-end” Microbiology - from product development and formulation through microbiological control of manufacturing, and he has published several articles on this subject. Michael currently serves in an active volunteer capacity for several professional associations, including: the AOAC CASP Microbial Contaminants Expert Review Panel, the Microbiology Committee and founding member of the Manufacturing Hygiene Task Force of the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), and the cooling water subcommittee of the Association of Water Technologies (AWT).

Dave Christophersen, CWT (Certified Water Technologist), Dave Christophersen Consulting LLC Knowledgeable in wastewater treatment, boiler water treatment and pretreatment, cooling water, and membrane technologies. Worked in many industries including oilseed, steel, manufacturing, power, chemical, mining, commercial & institutional, and others. Functions included business management, field management, technical support, sales and marketing, chemical product development and product formulation of water treatment chemicals, and training of field and site personnel.