About
Welcome to IBMF
The Institute for Biosecurity and Microbial Forensics (IBMF), formerly known as the National Institute for Microbial Forensics & Food and Agricultural Biosecurity (NIMFFAB) at Oklahoma State University, was founded in 2007. Dr. Jacqueline Fletcher served as the founding director.
Background
The 2001 anthrax mailings in the United States raised awareness of the potential for the intentional use of biological weapons for non-state sponsored terrorism, including the possibility of agroterrorism, an attack on a nation’s agricultural systems in the furtherance of political or social objectives. Heightened biosecurity concerns brought focus to the possibility that crops and other plant resources could be targeted directly by individuals or groups motivated to cause harm. Numerous Federal initiatives, committees and panels quickly emerged to evaluate current biosecurity preparedness and identify pathways to strengthen US capabilities to prevent, detect, mitigate, respond to, and recover from threats to our nation’s critical infrastructures, including agriculture. As the President-Elect of the American Phytopathological Society (APS) in 2001, OSU plant pathologist Dr. Jacqueline Fletcher served as a representative for APS and plant health to a number of these initiatives.
Because of the immediate need, in the aftermath of 9-11, to investigate the anthrax attacks and identify the perpetrator(s), one of the most critical national needs was to enhance US capabilities in microbial forensics. At that time, although existing research and law enforcement efforts began to focus on applications of microbial forensics for human and animal incident investigation, a gap remained in the need to address such applications in plant systems.
Rationale
Fletcher and her OSU colleagues, with strong support from the Entomology and Plant Pathology Department, the OSU Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer, and the OSU Provost, recognized a unique opportunity to create a national-facing institute to respond to this need.
Today, IBMF continues to address emerging and evolving biosecurity threats, supporting the development of advanced detection, attribution, and response capabilities to protect agricultural systems and global food security.
The NIMFFAB team in 2014: Kneeling (L-R): Ulrich Melcher, Rakesh Kaundal, Francisco Ochoa Corona, Carla Garzon, Astri Wayadande, Jacque Fletcher, Maria Ma. Standing, front row: Tyler Wyrick, Sitanshu Saha, Claudia, Mukta Dutta, Ruchi Verma, Jessica Pavlu, Sharon Andreason, Angela, Mary Gard. Standing, back row: Johnny, Trenna Blagden, Shefali Dobhal, Patricia Garrido, Ian Moncrief, Jon Daniels, Savannah Evans, Alix Yates-Orr, Chris Timmons, Andres Espindola.
Mission and Purpose
To identify, prioritize, facilitate and conduct research, education and outreach related to national needs in microbial forensic science with respect to pathogens of crops, forests, rangelands, animal production, wildlife and on foods.
Goals
Research and Strategic Planning
- Assess current national capabilities in microbial forensics as related to pathogens
and food safety. - Provide strategic planning, a long-range vision and prioritization of needs and resources related to plant and food-related microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity.
- Interact with federal and state agencies to develop targeted funding programs for high-priority research and technology development in plant- and food-related microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity.
- Establish a coalition of national and state investigators conducting research on crop and food biosecurity and forensics issues.
Collaboration and Education
- Provide institutional recognition and a frameworks that will attract highly qualified faculty, post-doctoral, researchers, graduate students and technicians, and serve as a supportive infrastructure attractive to funding agencies.
- Serve as a focal point for communication, cooperation, collaboration, funding initiatives and outreach related to crop and food biosecurity and microbial forensics.
- Develop educational (coursework) and training (workshops) opportunities related to agricultural microbial forensics for students and stakeholders, in cooperation with OSU Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa and other state and national agencies and entities.
- Communicate and work in parallel, locally and nationally, with microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity programs related to animal and human pathogens.
Leadership and Institutional Development
The IBMF (NIMFFAB) was established under the leadership of Dr. Jacqueline Fletcher, who served as the founding director from 2007 to 2015. During this formative period, Dr. Fletcher built the institute’s foundation by assembling a multidisciplinary team with expertise in plant pathogens, microbial diagnostics, and food safety. This included the cluster hire of the faculty including Drs. Francisco Ochoa-Corona, Li Maria Ma, Rakesh Kaundal, and Ulrich Melcher, establishing IBMF as a nationally recognized center for plant-associated microbial forensics and biosecurity research.
In 2016, Dr. Kitty Cardwell assumed leadership as director and expanded the institute’s scope to include pathogens affecting animal production systems, strengthening its role in integrated agricultural biosecurity. She led the institute through 2022, broadening its research, outreach, and engagement.
From 2022 to 2025, Dr. Justin Talley served as interim director, maintaining continuity in operations and supporting ongoing institutional activities during a transitional period.
In late 2025, Dr. Mohammad Arif was appointed director with a vision to strengthen IBMF as an interdisciplinary institute in biosecurity and microbial forensics, with strong national and international networks. The institute is expanding its capabilities in advanced pathogen detection, microbial genomics, bioinformatics, machine learning, genome-resolved surveillance and real-time strain tracking, and metagenomics-based diagnostics, supported by curated pathogen databases. This direction also emphasizes workforce development to prepare a skilled biosecurity and microbial forensics community to address emerging agricultural threats.