Avinash M. Topè, PhD. Frankfort, KY | 502-597-6012 | avinash.tope@kysu.edu

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (FOOD SAFETY AND CHRONIC DISEASES)

EDUCATION

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Molecular Biology, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY, 2001-2002

PhD, Microbiology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India, 2001

M.Sc, Biotechnical and Molecular Biology, B.A. Marathwada University, Aurangabad, India, 1993

B. Ed. Physical Sciences, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. 1992.

B.Sc (Hons), Chemistry / Biochemistry, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India, 1987

EXPERIENCE

Teaching Assignments:

2012-Present: Through various USDA-NIFA’s Capacity Building Grants funding introduced and developed the following undergraduate and graduate level courses. Two courses are a part of the core courses for the Agriculture, Food and Environment (AFE) degree program at KSU, including those for the Food & Nutrition Science option of the AFE degree program and the MES Graduate Program. The courses with their learning objectives are:

  • AFE 450/ENV550: Human Health & Environment: Develop in students an understanding of how environmental factors impact human health. Concepts include epidemiology, fundamentals of toxicology. Effects of insecticide use, pesticides, herbicide, plastics, household cleaning products. Overview of the environmental policy process and hands-on and lab techniques to assess genetic toxicity tests and other endogenous defense mechanisms.
  • AFE 455/ENV 555: Food Safety & Microbiology: Students learn the basics of health and safety as it applies to the management of various types of food and products. Topics include toxicology, epidemiology, personal protective equipment and hazard communication. Hands-on techniques in pesticide residue analysis, microbial load analysis, isolation and identification of potential bacterial and fungal pathogens from various food sources and trace metal analysis.
  • AFE 417: Modern Nutrition & Disease: Learn the dietary components of nutrition, nutrition in the prevention and management of disease, metabolic disorders, nutrition in surgery, interactions with infections, trauma, and drugs. Basics of epidemiology with emphasis on diet and nutrition in healthy populations. Introduction to challenges in maintaining adequacy and safety of food supplies.
  • AFE 465: Food Systems: Identify major components of the food system and contrast the US food system today with historical characteristics and characteristics of food systems in other regions. Understand how a range of sustainability indicators relevant to the food system are measured and calculated and select appropriate indicators of food system sustainability. Interpret and critique published food system analyses. Understand the goals, requirements, and impacts of alternative food labels and consumption patterns.

Academic Consultant: Master's Program in Forensic Sciences: Osmania University, Hyderabad, India, 1999-2001.

  • ■ Applying to research in the field of Medical and Forensic Microbiology, developed course work for a Master's program, which included introducing students to advanced molecular biological

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