Current Projects

PulseNet Efficiency

PulseNet (the national molecular subtyping network for foodborne disease) and the foodborne disease surveillance programs it supports are arguably our nation’s most effective systems for identifying and resolving unforeseen problems in our food and water supply.  Over the last 10 years PulseNet findings have triggered a number of high profile national recalls of contaminated food totaling well over a hundred million pounds of product, and an even larger number of statewide or local public health actions.  Yet, in spite of its successes, funding resources for PulseNet have experienced severe fiscal cuts in the past few years.  The broad objectives of this project are to obtain an estimation of costs and benefits of the PulseNet system and associated foodborne disease epidemiology programs at multiple jurisdictional levels.  These data can be used to demonstrate the value of PulseNet-driven surveillance and compel policy decision making to improve the efficiency of the system.