Veterinary College Sees University Role in Public Health, "One Medicine"

URBANA, IL - 1/5/07 - Concern over the role of animals in antimicrobial resistance in humans and emerging infectious diseases – including avian influenza, monkey pox, E. coli 0157:H7 and salmonella – has escalated recently, not only in the United States, but also worldwide. This focus has highlighted the needs for science-based data to underpin regulatory and legislative policy decisions and an increase in professionals knowledgeable about animal production systems, ecosystems and human public health.

As a first step to address these needs, the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois will host an intra-university colloquium on "One Medicine: The Interface of Human, Animal & Public Health" on Jan. 9-10 in Urbana. With funding from campus administration, the colloquium brings together invited faculty and staff from the Chicago, Springfield, and Urbana campuses of the university as well as governmental officials and expert speakers.

The colloquium will produce a proceedings document to support:

A grant proposal to the National Institutes of Health for an inter-campus interdisciplinary training  program concentrating on the interface between human, animal and public health, with a special focus on agricultural production systems.  

The establishment of an Illinois Center for One Medicine to focus on research, training and public engagement efforts designed to improve society's preparedness and response to natural and intentional  exposures of biological, chemical and physical agents.

The proposed Center for One Medicine is envisioned as a center for excellence in research, training and public engagement for issues associated with animal, ecosystem and human health. It will develop a new cadre of public health professionals, educated in animal and human diseases and the research and policy issues needed to improve both.

Additionally, the Center seeks to serve as a research resource for policy makers faced with issues of national security associated with animal and human diseases.