04/30/2003

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OARDC Researcher Elected to National Academy of Sciences

Writer:

Mauricio Espinoza
espinoza.15@osu.edu
(330)202-3550

WOOSTER, Ohio -- Linda Saif, a professor and researcher with Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), has been elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest honors that can be accorded a U.S. scientist or engineer.

The announcement was made April 29 during the academy's 140th annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Seventy-two new members and 18 new foreign associates were chosen in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

"I was in complete shock to hear the news. It was a complete surprise," said Saif, a virologist who works at OARDC's Food Animal Health Research Program (FAHRP). "Most scientists in the United States dream of being appointed to the National Academy of Sciences as one of their potential lifetime achievements, so to actually be told you have been awarded that honor is overwhelming."

Saif is known nationally and internationally for her work on enteric viruses, including rotaviruses, caliciviruses and coronaviruses, which cause mortality and morbidity in both food-producing animals and humans. During the past 30 years, she has identified new intestinal viruses and developed diagnostic tests and research methods for working with them in the laboratory.

"With this recognition, the culture of excellence that we promote in FAHRP has been reaffirmed," said Mo Saif, head of FAHRP. "This represents not only Linda's work, but the work of everyone at FAHRP, OARDC and Ohio State University. We are very proud of Linda's achievements and all the honors she has received."

Saif has been hailed by her colleagues as "the world's foremost authority on the immune response of newborns to intestinal infections" and "the most outstanding virologist and immunologist in the research field that deals with gastrointestinal viruses." She is also credited with discovering the potential of enteric viral infections in animals to infect human populations in epidemic proportions.

"Linda Saif is an extraordinarily gifted scientist who has the inner drive and focus to put her science at the cutting edge of our knowledge base," said OARDC Director Steve Slack. "She makes those around her reach deeper within themselves in order to excel. It is this consistent, relentless drive for excellence that sets her apart from most scientists."

What makes Saif's work unique in her field is that she has managed to bridge the gap between basic and applied research. While fulfilling OARDC's mission to address the health needs of animal agriculture, she has made important discoveries that contribute to human health as well. One example is Saif's ongoing effort to develop safe and effective vaccines for rotavirus diarrhea, which kills nearly one million children every year.

"No one is more deserving of this recognition than Dr. Saif," said Bobby Moser, vice president for agricultural administration and dean of Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. "She has been very productive over the years, always doing research on the cutting edge. She's well-known in food-animal health and human health circles alike, and that combination is rare."

Saif is the sixth NAS active member from Ohio State University and the only one representing the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine.

"I hope this honor is seen as a recognition of the high caliber of our students, postdoctoral researchers and other faculty members who have contributed to our research programs," Saif said. "I would attribute a lot of our success to the extremely competent international students that we have been able to attract, thanks to the prestige of Ohio State. Being in a multicultural environment has been very beneficial for our work.

"Also, a huge factor in the success of my program has been the support of the OARDC administrators in terms of providing technical support for long-term research projects and our outstanding infrastructure. The animal facilities that we have are some of the best in the world for the type of work that I've been conducting."

Saif earned her bachelor's degree from the College of Wooster in 1969 and received her master's degree (1971) and doctorate (1976) in microbiology/immunology from Ohio State.  She has been an OARDC faculty member since 1979, garnering more than $14 million in research grants and publishing numerous articles in books and professional journals.

In 2002, Saif became the first Ohio State researcher not based on the Columbus campus to be recognized as a Distinguished University Professor, the highest honor the university bestows upon faculty for their accomplishments in research, scholarly or creative work, teaching, and service. Recently, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Belgium's Ghent University, one of the most prestigious educational institutions in Europe.

"It's very good for young students to know that they can achieve a lot in a place like Wooster," Saif added. "If you reach out and establish collaborations with scientists from around the country and the world, you don't have to be on the Columbus campus or go to places like Yale or Harvard to do great science."

NAS is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to the furtherance of science and its use for the general welfare. Established in 1863 by a congressional act of incorporation, the academy serves as an official adviser to the federal government, upon request, in any matter of science and technology.

NAS membership is comprised of 1,922 active members and 341 foreign associates, of whom more than 180 have won Nobel Prizes.

OARDC is the research arm of Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

Editor's Note: Photographs of Linda Saif and an audio interview are available. Contact Mauricio Espinoza at (330) 202-3550 or espinoza.15@osu.edu.