Aditional information Michael Linden-Vørnle Chief Consultant mykal@space.dtu.dk Go to the portal and search on “Skills development 2013”. Page 20 of the course catalogue features offers of assistance in how to communicate research. starts at the dinner table Michael Linden-Vørnle on the Danish radio show Hjernekassen med Peter Lund Madsen, where he was invited to give his expert opinion on the Big Bang theory. To hear the show, go to: kortlink.dk/caez. Photo mikal schlosser Photo: DTU Vet – National Veterinary Institute Vaccine to help cows with upset stomachs DTU Vet has filed a patent application for a vaccine to combat the intestinal infection paratuberculosis. The vaccine has already been tested in cattle with great success. animal welfa re Paratuberculosis – a widespread and chronic intestinal illness that affects cattle and sheep – has major consequences for both finances and animal welfare in the agricultural sector. In partnership with Statens Serum Institut (SSI), DTU Vet has developed a new candidate for a vaccine against paratuberculosis. It has achieved such promising results that the department has filed a patent application for it. The illness is caused by an infection with the bacterium mycobacterium avium, subspecies paratuberculosis, which belongs to the same group of diseases as human tuberculosis and leprosy. Vaccination against these mycobacteria infections poses a major medical challenge, but Aneesh Thakur has now tested the new vaccine in a PhD project that he defended at DTU Vet in February. “The vaccine is designed to boost the immune defence system so that it reacts to the proteins that the bacterium produces at different stages of the infection. The idea here is for the vaccine to have a preventative effect against both new infection and the outbreak of a latent or chronic infection,” he explains. As a part of his project, Aneesh Thakur has traced the effect of the vaccine in cattle infected with the bacterium over the course of a year. “The studies showed, for example, that calves vaccinated at the age of four months had significantly fewer bacteria in their intestines than non-vaccinated calves. Our results are very promising, and it seems that the vaccine can help to prevent and treat paratuberculosis in cattle,” he says, before adding: “An effective vaccine will improve animal health and welfare in all areas of modern cattle production. At the same time, it will help reduce the spread of a possible zoonotic bacterium to the surrounding area.” Further work Even though a patent application has now been filed for the vaccine, there is still a long way to go, as the head of the project – Professor Gregers Jungersen from the Section for Immunology and Vaccinology at DTU Vet – explains: “The effect of the vaccine has to be documented, which may take some time as this illness develops very slowly over a period of years following the initial infection. We need to test aspects such as the long-term effect of the vaccine in an actual herd affected by paratuberculosis, so it may take 5–10 years for the vaccine to reach the market.” The project is being supported by the Danish Council for Independent Research – Technology and Production. By Mete Buck Jensen Aneesh Thakur with some of the calves he worked with during his PhD project. Aditional Information Gregers Jungersen Professor, DTU Vet grju@vet.dtu.dk “Find the essence of your narration and start with that. Keep it short and back it up with numerous specific examples and plenty of imagery. Finally, put your research into context so that everyone can understand that it is actually important,” he suggests. The interview as a shared project It is one thing to talk to schoolchildren and keen scientists. It is quite another when journalists call you to ask for a ‘quick comment’ on a sharp drop in wind turbine share prices or the possible consequences of an asteroid strike in Siberia. Journalists are more interested in simple, clear messages, while researchers prefer to reserve judgement and to shade their statements. This conflict of interest can quickly try the patience of both parties. However, there are a number of ways to deal with this. “View an interview with a journalist as a shared project that should benefit both parties. If the journalist hasn’t done his research properly and starts asking silly questions, then you should try to help him get on track. All of a sudden you will be in a position to steer his article in a more scientific direction,” says Michael Linden-Vørnle. He mentions several occasions where journalists were keen to talk about conspiracy theories with regard to the moon landings. Michael does not give any credit to such theories; nevertheless, he made himself available and attempted to communicate some real science in his answers. “You must meet people on their terms. If you then manage to add even ten per cent factual science to the discussion, you will have achieved more than you could have done by simply slamming the phone down. That said, I have met journalists who have almost attributed a quote to me in advance and only called to get me to say what they had already written. In such cases, the only option is politely to decline to take part. It is a shared project, certainly, but if your gut feeling is that something is not quite right, then you always have the right – indeed, the obligation – to walk away,” he says. - Kristian Dupont Elvst røm 3
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