The University of Queensland is proud to be launching the Queensland Alliance for One Health Sciences (QAOHS) on One Health Day 2021 (3 November).
Based at UQ’s School of Veterinary Science and jointly funded by The University of Queensland, industry and government partners, QAOHS will aim to improve zoonotic disease public health policy through integrated health research that addresses local, national and global health challenges.
Director and Project Leader Associate Professor Ricardo Soares Magalhães said the Alliance will soon be delivering high-quality One Health capability programs from UQ's experts in the areas of Disease Surveillance and Analytics, Advanced Diagnostics, Trade-offs and Policy Solutions and Future Capability Training.
“One Health is a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach that aims to optimise health outcomes for communities arising from hazards operating at the intersections between people, animals and their shared environment,” Dr Soares Magalhães said.
“If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that a One Health approach is critical for recognising and reducing the likelihood of infectious diseases emerging from animal populations, which we now know can lead to devastating global health issues and crises.
“Through QAOHS, we’re excited to be working to identify integrated solutions for human notifiable zoonoses, foodborne risks, antimicrobial resistance and cancers operating at the human-livestock-wildlife interfaces.
“We’ll be working with our government and industry partners to set up a unique One Health Demographic Surveillance System to tackle zoonotic and environmental problems in our state, that we hope will serve as a model to map and track life-course trajectories of populations (human and animal).
“And each year, on 3 November, we celebrate the Global One Health Day, a moment in time where scientists and government advocates use their powerful voice for moving beyond current provincial health approaches.
“It’s the perfect time to launch an initiative like this, and we’re looking forward to building and promoting tangible One Health solutions co-designed with our partner organisations.”
The launch will be held at the Gatton and St Lucia campuses, as well as online on the morning of Wednesday 3 November.
“It will be a great morning to showcase our One Health research priorities and connect with those building our One Health future,” Dr Soares Magalhães said.
“Participants will have an opportunity to hear from the program’s lead researchers, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Research Infrastructure, the Queensland Chief Scientist, Associate Dean of Research, the UQ School of Veterinary Science Director of Research, and leadership of Queensland Health, Biosecurity Queensland and SafeFood Queensland,” Dr Soares Magalhães said.
“These partners have been integral to our success and, just like the One Health approach, itself, show the value of collaboration and holistic thinking.
“Together we’ll be able to achieve One Health policy solutions through transdisciplinary research that benefit the health of animals, the environment, and our global community.”
To register, please visit the event’s Eventbrite page.
Media: Associate Professor Ricardo Soares Magalhães, r.magalhaes@uq.edu.au , +61 7 54601 827, +61 424 950 431; Dominic Jarvis, dominic.jarvis@uq.edu.au, +61 413 334 924.
