Certain biological and chemical agents pose significant threats to public health, whether via hazardous materials accidents, emerging infections, or terrorist-mediated release. As an authority on weapons of mass destruction preparedness, Dr. Suzanne White, associate professor and clinician educator for emergency medicine and pediatrics at Wayne State University School of Medicine, will address Metro Detroit's biomedical preparedness in a presentation at noon on Thursday, Feb. 5, in the Anthropology Museum's library, Room 1224 of the Old Main Building at Warren and Cass avenues.

White's presentation will review the history of key chemical and biological agent use, unveil current threats, and provide an overview of bioterrorism and public health emergency preparedness.

In addition to her work at WSU's School of Medicine, White holds certification in the fields of medical toxicology, emergency medicine, and hyperbaric medicine. She is medical director of the Children's Hospital of Michigan Regional Poison Control Center, weapons of mass destruction response coordinator for the Detroit Medical Center and director of toxicology services for the DMC and the WSU Medical Toxicology Fellowship program. She also has authored or edited numerous publications and book chapters on biological and chemical agents on the following topics.

This seminar is presented by the Institute for Information Technology and Culture (IITC) and is the third in a series of three workshops offered by the IITC that focus on issues of homeland security, with an emphasis on the coordination of response to disasters.

IITC is a multidisciplinary group of medical and organizational anthropologists, psychologists, engineers, nurses, social workers, computer experts and doctors collaborating to understand the cultural aspects of technology use. For more information, please contact Dr. Allen Batteau, director, at (313) 874.7010 or a.batteau@wayne.edu, or visit Institute for Information Technology and Culture.