September 29, 2006

Olds College tackles BSE waste disposal

Olds College has teamed up with other post-secondary schools to research the environmental impact of disposing of BSE contaminated material.
The three-year, $3.4-million project challenges researchers to determine how to unactivate the disease-trigger protein called prion, said Dr. Abimbola Abiola, director of college research.
All transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, which includes BSE or mad cow disease, a chronic wasting disease affecting cattle, are triggered and transmitted through prions, he said.
The college's role in the project is to isolate and test environmental bacteria strains that have potential to break down prions, he said. FSnet Link