Mary Anne is an Associate Professor of Food Microbiology in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Connecticut. She is a veterinarian with an MS and PhD in Food Microbiology and Safety. Her research primarily focuses on food safety and gut health. Specifically, her research is targeted towards understanding pathogen survival and persistence along the food chain, their virulence attributes and the application of protective cultures to control foodborne pathogens. She also studies the efficacy of currently applied intervention (hurdle) technologies to reduce pathogen transmission during pre- and post-harvest processing of fresh produce, meat and dairy products. Beyond controlling pathogens in food systems, her research investigates the potential application of probiotics and functional foods in the prevention and treatment of gut pathologies. Through all aspects of her research, Mary Anne's main objective is to improve food safety and promote public health.