The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine will bring together public health officials, flu researchers, physicians, veterinarians and health sciences students Tuesday, May 12, for an influenza symposium, with a special focus on the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, also known as swine flu.

The symposium will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 1010 of Gladys Valley Hall, just north of the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, UC Davis.

Speakers for the event will include Bonita Sorensen, chief deputy director of the California Department of Public Health; Bennie Osburn, dean of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine; Christian Sandrock, an assistant professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine in the UC Davis Health System; Nicole Baumgarth, an associate professor of immunology and an influenza researcher in the School of Veterinary Medicine; and Sharon Hietala, a professor of clinical diagnostic immunology in the School of Veterinary Medicine’s California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory.

The speakers will discuss trends in the recent influenza outbreak, projections for the fall flu season, the intersection of human and animal influenza viruses, caring for and managing patients with severe influenza, surveillance and research collaborations for swine and avian influenza, and the importance of partnerships and collaborations among the health professions to address these disease threats to public health.

To reach Gladys Valley Hall, take Interstate 80 to Highway 113 and drive north toward Woodland. Exit at Hutchison Drive and turn right onto Hutchison. Continue to the second traffic light and turn right onto La Rue Road. At the first opportunity, turn right onto Garrod Drive and continue to the stop sign. Turn right and then immediately left into Parking Lot 50. To park free, place a news media business card on the driver’s side of your vehicle’s dashboard.

About UC Davis

For 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 31,000 students, an annual research budget that exceeds $500 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science — and advanced degrees from six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.