LEXINGTON, Ky. (October 2, 2024) — The University of Kentucky, the Bill Gatton Foundation Grand Challenge Team, and the Martin Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and the Environment are working with local and state stakeholders to bring UK campus communities together as One. Invite to Health. Symposium 2024 event on November 1st.
Celebrating International One Health Day, this symposium aims to inform and inspire participants about One Health, a collaborative effort to improve the health of animals, humans, and the environment.
Nancy Cox, Dean of the Martin Gatton Café, said: “We would like to thank the Bill Gatton Foundation and our leadership team for their shared commitment to improving lives by advancing the intersection of agriculture, health and the environment. Thank you. This symposium will foster new partnerships.” A collaboration centered on health. ”
A dynamic lineup of speakers will present a variety of One Health topics, including opportunities for partnerships and collaboration. This will be followed by an interactive poster session and roundtable discussion.
The keynote speakers are:
Jeff Bender – Director, Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center, University of Minnesota. Speaker theme: “One Health, One Vision: Creating safer, healthier communities through collective action.” Greg Gray – Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch. Speaker theme: “Practical One Health Strategies for Detecting Pre-Pandemic Zoonotic Respiratory Virus Threats.” Michael Ziccardi – Executive Director, One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis. Speaker theme: “An Overview of the Current State of Animal Disasters: Seen Through One Health Lens.”
Other presentations and speakers include:
Christine Casey – Wildlife Veterinarian, Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky. Speaker theme: “Wildlife Health and Single Health.” William De Souza – Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UK College of Medicine. Speaker theme: “Viral transmission dynamics of emerging arboviruses in South America.” Zach Devries – Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, Martin-Gatton CAFE, UK. Speaker’s theme: “Protecting public health through cockroach control.” Yosra Helmy – Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Martin-Gatton CAFE, UK. Speaker theme: “Bridging the One Health Paradigm: Innovative Alternatives to Combat Antibiotic Resistance.” Amelia Pinto – Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UK College of Medicine. Speaker theme: ‘What we eat can influence the viruses we infect.’ Kathleen Winter – Assistant Professor, UK College of Public Health. Kentucky state epidemiologist and director of epidemiology. Speaker theme: “Emerging Infectious Diseases and One Health: A Public Health Perspective.”
The morning session begins at 8:30 a.m. ET and will be held in Gluck Auditorium. Lunch, poster sessions, and roundtable discussions will be held in the ES Good Barn on campus. The event ends at 3:30 p.m.
Event information, complete agenda and registration can be found at ca.uky.edu/one-health-symposium. Registration deadline is October 23rd.
This symposium will serve as the basis for the launch of a future UK One Health Center (UKOHC), which will bring together One Health research, dissemination and teaching.
UKOHC is part of the Bill Gatton Foundation’s Grand Challenge, a selection of projects from a $100 million gift through the Bill Gatton Foundation in 2023 that will have a significant impact on communities in Kentucky and beyond.
Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, a University of Kentucky alumnus and former trustee, has made a landmark $100 million gift to the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment through the Bill Gatton Foundation. This is the largest gift in the university’s history.
The Bill Gatton Foundation’s four pillars of giving are scholarships and a commitment to student success. Companion Animal Program; Capital Projects and New Initiatives Fund. and faculty research.
The Bill Gatton Foundation Grand Challenge aims to address pressing social issues at the intersection of agriculture, health and the environment. The program focuses on addressing important challenges through short-term investments of three to five years by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between faculty and researchers.
Four University of Kentucky One Health Center projects have been selected as part of the Bill Gatton Foundation Grand Challenge. Synergies in extension health partnerships: Planning for impact. Develop a structural framework and action plan for a climate resilience hub. Developing graduates from scratch: MG CAFE curriculum innovation and development of education and training institutions
