|
Who We Are | Products | Ethics & Goals | Contact | Home Who We Are Key People and Management Team Biographies Juan Velez DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT. Dr. Velez’s education includes: D.V.M. Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá Colombia, 1988; M.S. Physiology of Reproduction Texas A&M, 1991; Residency in Food Animal Production Medicine, University of Florida, 1993; Board Certified in Theriogenology, 1993. His affiliations include: Sr. Vice President of Farm Operations of Aurora Organic Dairy, he is an active member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, Animal Welfare Committee of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. Society for Theriogenology, American College of Theriogenologists, Scientific Advisory Committee for The Organic Center, American Academy of Veterinary Consultants, and Animal Breeding Committee IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements). Dr. Velez offered his farm to conduct one of the three recently completed clinical trials presented at a national conference.
Who We Are | Products | Ethics & Goals | Contact | Home |
Hubert Karreman, VMD, is an internationally known veterinarian who has developed non-antibiotic therapy for infectious disease. He is a 1995 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and has an undergraduate degree from the University of New Hampshire in soil science. From his direct experience in the field with thousands of cases he has tended as a veterinary clinician, to over 100 invited presentations has given to his colleagues and producers over the last decade, he has immense credibility and respect as a thought leader in the US field of biological and botanical veterinary medicine. He gave an invited presentation to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in June 2008 where the CVM was seeking to learn about organic livestock agriculture. He is continually involved with organized veterinary medicine and was instrumental in helping craft the AVMA Guidance for the use of complementary and alternative veterinary medicine. As an appointee of the Secretary of the USDA, he completed a 5 year term on the USDA National Organic Standards Board – the premier organization which advises the Secretary and passes recommendations on what materials can or cannot be used in organic agriculture. He is the author of two books, Treating Dairy Cows Naturally: Thoughts and Strategies and The barn Guide to Treating Dairy Cows Naturally (both by AcresUSA). In short, Dr. Karreman is the best poised individual in organized bovine veterinary medicine to lead the Company into the future of the ever growing realm of biologically and botanically based medical therapies, first for animals, and then for humans. Now limiting his practice to seeing only organic cattle for medical therapy, he can focus his time and energy in developing the Company. 
Simon Skurkovich, MD, PhD is the former Head of the Immunology Laboratory of the Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Moscow (now the Russian Hematology Center). He was also Founder of Advanced Biotherapy, Inc. (ADVB), its former President and Vice President, Chief Scientist and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors. He has authored more than 250 publications including 2 books, in Russia, England, Germany, USA and France. He received more than 40 patents in the USA and other countries, and has 7 patents pending. Professor Skurkovich was invited to come from Russia to the United States at the end of 1979 to work at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD. While working at NIH he was advised by Dr. Jonas Salk (creator of the most used polio vaccine) and Dr. Aaron Kellner (director of the New York Blood Center) to organize a company because they saw potential for his scientific ideas. Most of Dr. Skurkovich’s scientific studies have been in three different fields: oncology (acute leukemia in children), anti-cytokine therapy of autoimmune diseases, and hyperimmune human plasma and immunoglobulins (anti-staphylococcal, antipseudomonas, and anti-E. coli).
Boris Skurkovich, MD received his medical degree from Russian State Medical University and immigrated to the United States in 1979. He interned and completed his residency in pediatrics at Georgetown University. Before joining Hasbro Children's Hospital, he was a clinical and research fellow in pediatric infectious diseases at Maxwell Finland Laboratory for Infectious Diseases at Boston City Hospital and Boston University. Today, he is an assistant physician in the departments of pediatrics and pediatric infectious diseases at Rhode Island Hospital and a clinical professor of pediatrics at Brown University Medical School. He is a member of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society, the Infectious Disease Society of America, and the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research.
Robert Whitlock, DVM, PhD has been at the forefront of research and development of biological and chemotherapeutic medications for infectious disease for nearly 35 years. His main area of focus has been studying Johnes disease (Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis) and botulism (Clostridium botulinum). His laboratory has developed the premier botulism antitoxin in the United States via plasmapheresis of hyperimmunized horses and cows. He is a 1965 graduate from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and received his PhD from Cornell in 1970. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Medicine. He has been Director of the Botulism Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania since 1981. He has given over 200 presentations at regional, state, national and international meetings on botulism and Johne’s disease.
Jerry Brunetti founded his company Agri-Dynamics in 1979 with a vision of providing a line of holistic animal remedies for farm livestock, equine and pets. After witnessing first-hand the devastating results of conventional, chemically dependent, grain-based rationed farming practices, Jerry embarked on a crusade to educate and consult for farmers who made the wise choice to transition to ecologically responsible and sustainable farming. Jerry works towards improving soil and crop quality, livestock performance and health on certified organic farms. 
Berend-Jan Drijber, JD is partner at Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn in The Hague. He earned his law degree from Universiteit Leiden in 1981. After many years in Brussels as a member of the European Commission’s Legal Service (1988- 1998) and legal advisor to the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the European Union, Mr. Drijber returned to the bar when he joined Pels Rijcken in 2002. Here his background in Brussels and his broad knowledge of European law is put to good use. Berend Jan’s practice covers a great many aspects of European law, including institutional issues, the freedom of movement and state aid. General and sector-specific competition law constitutes an important part of his advisory and litigation practice. Berend Jan handles a growing number of cases in regulated sectors such as electricity, gas, telecommunication, media and healthcare, mainly for public clients. He has authored a large number of publications. Specialty areas of practice include: Practice groups, Energy, European and Competition Law, Major Projects/Public-Private Partnerships. 
Mary Howell Martens, MS received her M.S. in Vegetable Crops/Plant Breeding from Cornell University in 1982. Mary-Howell, her husband Klaas, and their children, own and operate a 1,300 acre certified organic crop farm. On this farm they grow corn, soybeans, wheat, spelt, oats, barley, triticale, clover seed, alfalfa, red kidney beans, processing sweet corn, snap beans and cabbage. They also own and operate Lakeview Organic Grain LLC, an organic feed and seed business serving the Northeast. She regularly writes on various topics for leading organic farming magazines and publications. She worked for 10 years for Cornell University in the Grape Breeding and Genetics program, and taught Biology and Plant Physiology at Finger Lakes Community College for 7 years. She and Klaas were awarded the Organic Farm Research Foundation Spirit of Organic Award in October 2002, and she was one of six national finalists for the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Patrick Madden Award. She served on the USDA Advisory Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology from 2000-2002, and she currently serves on the Cornell University College of Agriculture Dean's Advisory committee. 
Kevin Anderson, DVM, PhD is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and is very focused on improving the quality of milk from ruminants. Mastitis and milk quality in ruminant species are studied in Dr. Anderson’s laboratory at North Carolina State University. This includes investigating the pathophysiology and epidemiology of mastitis as well as the detection and mitigation of antimicrobial residues in milk. Current mastitis research includes a study of Staphylococcus aureus mastitis using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, herd data analysis, and antibiotic susceptibilities. He is participating in an investigation of a combined therapy-vaccination strategy to control and prevent Staphylococcus aureus mastitis. Current antimicrobial residue studies utilize a microbial receptor assay, HPLC, and other detection methods to measure residues and investigate alternative dispositions for antibiotic contaminated milk. The disposition of beta-lactam antibiotics in calves fed antibiotic-contaminated milk has been investigated, as well as methods to neutralize antibiotics in milk. Betalactam and tetracycline residues in milk after administration by several routes have been researched using microbial receptor assays and HPLC. Mastitis therapeutics have been investigated using mastitis challenge models. His additional interests focus on small ruminant and cattle health. 
John Barlow, DVM, PhD is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Vermont. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Vermont, his D.V.M. from the University of Illinois, and his B.S. from the University of Connecticut. His research interests are focused on mastitis, dairy herd health, infectious and zoonotic disease epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and global animal health. He is the faculty instructor for the CREAM (Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management) program at UVM. Dr Barlow was in private mixed animal practice in Vergennes, Vermont for three years before starting at UVM.
Alan Cross, MD research spans the development of bacterial vaccines, role of Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in innate immunity, host defense mechanisms against bacterial infections, role of sialidase (neuraminidase) in the inflammatory process, and clinical trials in immuno-compromised hosts. His laboratory showed that pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha are required for normal host defenses against Gram-negative bacterial infections. Investigations now focus on the regulatory mechanisms of cytokine expression that become altered when a beneficial response to LPS which induces these cytokines degenerates into a septic response. He has developed a vaccine from LPS for use in the prevention and/or treatment of sepsis in humans. With his colleagues, he is examining the utility of different adjuvants to enhance the anti-LPS antibody response, and is defining the mechanisms by which this vaccine protects against lethal sepsis in animal models. It was previously observed that a neutrophil-associated sialidase which removes sialyl residues from its own and adjacent cell surfaces has an important role in neutrophil trafficking in vivo and in neutrophil/endothelial cell interactions in vitro. The laboratory is now defining the specific mechanisms by which the enzyme is regulated. Clinical trials at the Greenebaum Cancer Center not only involve participation in multi-center studies of novel antimicrobial agents, but also in our own protocols that examine immune reconstitution in patients undergoing therapy for malignancies, including stem cell transplantation. Dr. Cross received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970 and works in the Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Steve Opal, MD obtained his undergraduate degree in Microbiology from Cornell University (with Distinction) and graduated from Albany Medical College of Union University in 1976. His internship and residency were both at Fitzsimons Army medical Center (Internal Medicine) in 1977-1979, followed by a Fellowship at Walter Reed Army medical center (Infectious Disease) in 1982 and the Tropical Medicine Training Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Walter Reed. He investigates the mechanisms involved in the early recognition events in host response to invasive bacterial infections. An investigation into the genetics and expression of microbial virulence factors, endotoxin and bacterial exotoxin-mediated responses, and innate immune responses following bacterial infection is under active investigation. His laboratory at Brown University studies bacterial pathogenesis with highly pathogenic organisms of interest for biodefense, such as Bacillus anthracis and Francisella tularensis. He also conducts clinical research in severe infection, septic shock, and bacterial pneumonia. Dr. Opal is involved with a clinical coordinating center that monitors the development and implementation of large phase 3 international trials in critically ill patients with severe infections. 
Yvan Rochon, PhD studied botany as an undergraduate at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and then received his Doctorate in Experimental Medicine from McGill University in Montreal in 1991. Dr. Rochon completed post-doctoral fellowships at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and at the University of Washington in Seattle. He enjoys working in the lively and fascinating field of botanical medicine. With a background in botany, cell biology and molecular analysis, Dr. Rochon integrates the latest scientific understanding with the amazing wealth of knowledge passed on from our ancestors and living today in our holistic physicians. He is the owner of the highly respected and successful Herbal Vitality in Sedona, Arizona and collaborates with the University of Arizona School of Medicine on clinical trials with herbs as adjunctive therapy in oncology.