News

Sources: Lisa Freeman, 785-532-2844, freeman@vet.k-state.edu; Beth
Montelone, 7 85-532-1333, bethmont@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Cheryl May, 785-532-6415, may@k-state.edu

K-STATE AND KANSAS HEALTH FOUNDATION TEAM UP TO PROMOTE 'ONE HEALTH
KANSAS'

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University and the Kansas Health Foundation
are collaborating to make Kansans healthier. A new venture, "One Health
Kansas," will promote awareness and understanding of the
interconnections among human, animal and environmental health.

The Kansas State University Foundation accepted the award for the
project, which is funded for three years for a total of $2,292,308.

"One Health Kansas" will be directed by Lisa Freeman, associate vice
president for innovation, K-State Olathe Innovation Campus, and Beth
Montelone, associate dean, College of Arts and Sciences, and interim
scientific director, Biosecurity Research Institute.

"The project has two components," Freeman said. "The first is to build
the pipeline of future public health professionals and the second is to
provide broader and more in-depth education for current and future
professionals. This will develop a public health workforce capable of
addressing emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases. In addition,
'One Health Kansas' will enable K-State to develop new collaborations
focused on infection prevention with Stormont Vail HealthCare and the
Olathe Medical Center.

"One Health Kansas is an exciting opportunity for K-State to utilize its
strengths in collaboration, communication and integration," said
K-State President Jon Wefald. "K-State will take a leadership role in
promoting One Health concepts across the state of Kansas. Moreover, if
K-State is selected as the site for the National Bio and Agro-defense
Facility -- NBAF -- this award will help meet NBAF's workforce needs
and allow more of our best and brightest graduates to stay in Kansas."

"To achieve these outcomes, the project will create a series of outreach
and education programs to be delivered on K-State's Manhattan campus
and at partner community college sites, including Dodge City, Johnson
County and Kansas City, Kan.," Montelone said. "It also will link
current master of public health programs offered by the University of
Kansas and K-State and promote curricular sharing between these to
enhance both. 'One Health Kansas' will provide continuing education
opportunities for current public health officials to supplement their
knowledge of One Health topics."

"One Health Kansas is a truly innovative and cutting-edge program, and
one that has limitless potential for both Kansas State University and
the state of Kansas," said Steve Coen, Kansas Health Foundation
president and chief executive officer. "With its focus on building a
pipeline of future public health professionals, as well as studying the
emerging issue of zoonotic diseases, this program is one the Kansas
Health Foundation is proud to support."

"The Kansas Health Foundation has a long history of supporting Kansas
State University through their gifts to the KSU Foundation," said Gary
Hellebust, president and chief executive officer. "This historic gift
not only brings our partnership to a new level but also demonstrates
their confidence in K-State's ability to positively impact public
health across our state."

These programs will build on a United States Department of Agriculture
Higher Education Challenge Grant previously awarded to K-State under
the direction of Freeman, Montelone and others. The USDA project
"Pathways to Public Health" will result in development of an
introductory public health course offered jointly with the community
college partners; a summer undergraduate residency experience in public
health, and establishment of five year combined bachelor's/master of
public health degrees at K-State.

"One Health is a concept endorsed by the major national organizations
representing physicians, veterinarians and public health
professionals," Freeman said. "Collaboration among these groups is
needed in Kansas, so that citizens of our state can understand and
manage the complexity associated with emerging zoonotic diseases,
globalization of the food system, blurring of the urban-suburban-rural
interface and many other challenges affecting the health of Kansas
children and adults."

One Health Kansas will involve K-State faculty and students from the
Colleges of Agriculture, Arts and Sciences, Human Ecology and
Veterinary Medicine, the K-State Graduate School and the K-State Olathe
Innovation Campus.

Cheryl May
Assistant Vice President for University Relations/
Director, Media Relations
Kansas State University
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506-0117
785-532-6415 Phone
785-532-6418 FAX