News

International One Health leader/prominent Australian veterinarian to give Keynote address at Fourteenth Annual Conference on Vaccine Research – Baltimore, Maryland (USA): May 16-18, 2011   Martyn Jeggo, BVetMed, PhD is scheduled to present the “One Health-One Medicine” Keynote address at the Fourteenth Annual Conference on Vaccine Research in Baltimore, Maryland (USA) http://www.nfid.org/index.html / http://www.nfid.org/conferences/vaccine11/ on Monday, May 16, 2011.  This will be for Symposium 1: One Health Initiative.   Dr. Jeggo, Director, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Livestock Industries Australian Animal Health Laboratory (Australia), is an internationally recognized One Health leader who joined hands with his medical/veterinary medical/health scientist colleagues to plan, organize and execute a highly successful 1st One Health Congress meeting in Australia February 2011 http://www.onehealth2011.com/.  Dr. Jeggo’s primary physician collaborator for the 1st One Health Congress meeting was David L. Heymann, MD.  Dr. Heymann is Director, U.K. Health Protection Agency (United Kingdom) and the acclaimed Editor, Control of Communicable Diseases Manual.  Both are visionary One Health leaders and members of the One Health Initiative autonomous pro bono Team’s honorary Advisory Board http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/advBoard.php.    “The meeting in Baltimore is primarily about vaccines, their development and use but clearly recognizes the value of taking a One Health approach.  The program on the Monday after my keynote talk includes discussions about a number of vaccines for specific One Health areas and these include the Henipa viruses (Dr. Chris Broder) and Influenza (Dr. Rob Webster).  In managing the One Health risks associated with infectious diseases, particularly those affecting man and animals, vaccination remains our most potent weapon and by sharing our knowledge across the One Health area we will be in the best possible position to deliver the most effective vaccine solutions” according to Dr. Jeggo.  Christopher C. Broder, PhD is with the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland (USA) and Robert G. Webster, PhD is a leading avian influenza expert and virologist on the faculty at the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Laboratory in Memphis, Tennessee (USA).     Also expected to attend the meeting will be physician Thomas P. Monath, MD, an eminent medical virologist, renowned international expert on vaccine development, a prominent One Health leader and member of the One Health initiative Autonomous pro bono team.  Dr. Monath said, “Dr. Jeggo’s leadership of CSIRO, a remarkable institution with a long history of achievements in animal health, and his support for One Health have been responsible for significant forward movement. I very much look forward to his remarks and those of his colleagues on the program”.    __________________________________ Dr. Jeggo’s Keynote Abstract for Monday, May 16, 2011: Title: One Health- One Medicine   Learning objectives: Participants will better understand the science, and organizational changes that are required to ensure that medical, veterinary and ecological scientists work together to undertake research that will deliver the most effective options for managing the risks from infectious diseases and other health related issues.   Summary The first international Congress on One Health was held in Melbourne Australia from the 14 – 16th. February 2011.  Some 650 participants attended including doctors, veterinarians, agriculturists and ecologists working on a range of issues dealing with the risks of infectious diseases to humans, animals and the environment.  Equally importantly, the meeting was attended by representatives from key international Organizations  (WHO, OIE, FAO, EU, WB) as well as national Governments that will utilize this science and the research outcomes to drive policy and reform in the one health space.  This marriage of research workers and policy makers provided an ideal platform to debate many of the key issues around One Health One Medicine.  Not only was it possible to gain a current insight into the science underpinning disease emergence, food safety and food security but to put these in the context of the required policy changes needed to have real impact in this area.  This paper will explore both the science undertaken and policy and organizational reforms needed.   Reference Ist International One Health Congress; Ecohealth Vol 7 Supplement 1 2011 [posted May 1, 2011 on One Health Initiative website’s Publications page http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/publications.php]