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Martin Wiedmann

Associate Professor

Primary Research Areas

  • applied economics
  • bioinformatics
  • biomedical sciences
  • computational biology
  • dairy science
  • evolution
  • food science
  • genomics
  • microbiology
  • molecular biology
  • new life sciences
  • pathogens
  • veterinary medicine

Graduate Fields

Research Focus

The specific objective of my research program is to develop a better understanding of the pathogenesis, ecology, evolution, and transmission of bacterial foodborne and zoonotic diseases. The pathogenesis of foodborne and zoonotic diseases can involve complex interactions between a bacterial pathogen, a variety of environments and one or multiple host species. The ability of bacterial cells to survive and compete in a variety of environments plays a key role in the pathogenesis and transmission of many foodborne diseases. In addition, selective pressures not associated with mammalian hosts may contribute significantly to the emergence and evolution of virulence characteristics related to the ability of bacteria to effectively infect mammalian hosts. Foodborne zoonotic pathogens provide ideal model systems for studying the ecology of infectious diseases, including adaptation of clonal groups to specific hosts and non-host environments as well as virulence gene expression and maintenance of virulence characteristics under widely varying conditions, including those not directly associated with a host. Current work in my laboratory focuses on two model organisms, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella.

Educational Background

  • Veterinary Degree (DVM equivalent), University of Munich, Germany, 1992
  • Dr. Med. Vet. (Ph.D. equivalent), University of Munich, Germany, 1994
  • Ph.D., Food Science, Cornell University, 1997

Research Grants

  • UNDERSTANDING AND CONTROLLING MONOCYTOGENES TRANSMISSION THROUGH READY-TO-EAT MEAT PRODUCTS FROM PROCESSING PLANT TO CONSUMER
  • LISTERIA MONOCYGTOGENES SAMPLES: ILSI NORTH AMERICA LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES AND ENTEROBACTER SAKAZAKII REFERENCE STRAIN COLLECTION
  • APPLICATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PATHOGEN TRACKER DATABASE FOR PHENOTYPIC AND SUBTYPING STUDIES OF L. MONOCYTOGENES AND SALMONELLA
  • IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF VIRULENCE ATTENUATED L. MONOCYTOGENES WITH UNIQUE MUTATION IN INTERNALIN A
  • TRACKING AND UNDERSTANDING FOODBORNE TRANSMISSION OF L. MONOCYTOGENES, E. COLI, AND SALMONELLA USING GENOMICS AND MOLECULAR APPROACHES
  • USE OF AUTOMATED RIBOTYPING IN BIOFORENSICS FOR MOLECULAR SUBTYPING OF BIOLOGICAL AGENTS
  • INTEGRATION OF TEACHING, RESEARCH, AND OUTREACH EFFORTS TO FACILITATE INDUSTRY APPLICATION OF MOLECULAR SUBTYPING METHODS FOR FOODBORNE PATHOGENS
  • DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF GENOMICS-BASED APPROACHES FOR MOLECULAR SUBTYPING AND SEROTYPING OF L. MONOCYTOGENES, AND SALMONELLA