Ms. Ostrowsky has been at CIDRAP since 2001. Following an initial focus on food safety and biosecurity, she coordinated the University’s successful grant application to the US Department of Homeland Security in 2004 to establish the National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD), an international research consortium, and served as program analyst during NCFPD’s first three years. From 2007-2014, she served as senior program manager for the Minnesota Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (MCEIRS), under contract with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Prior to joining the University of Minnesota, Ms. Ostrowsky served as analyst and consultant in public health policy and health technology assessment, including 11 years with the Health Program, Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), US Congress, writing comprehensive reports for Congressional committees on infectious disease prevention and control, genetic testing, cancer treatment, and environmental health. Ms. Ostrowsky earned an MSc (Honors) degree in Human Genetics and a BSc degree in Biology, both from McGill University, Montreal. Her thesis work focused on public health and economic aspects of beta-thalassemia prevention in Quebec through population-based carrier screening, genetic counseling, and prenatal diagnosis.
