KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee System has invested $2.7 million and announced the creation of the UT One Health Initiative.
The One Health concept is a global effort that recognizes that the health of humans is connected to the health of animals and the environment. Approximately 70% of emerging infectious disease cases in humans and livestock can be traced back to wildlife, according to a press release from UT.
The initiative seeks to address all human, animal, and environmental health issues together instead of independently. The UTOHI will focus primarily on the issues that pertain to Tennessee.
Debra Miller, an established veterinarian in the UT system and newly appointed UTOHI interim director said, "We believe the initiative has the opportunity to be a global incubator for future generations of One Health experts across multiple disciplines and professions.” She hopes it will be the center of transformational discoveries.
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UTOHI will consolidate resources from across the UT System such UT Knoxville, UT Institute of Agriculture, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, UT Health Science Center and others.
One Health's contributions will advance environmental health for the benefit of all living things.
Efforts to coordinate studies began a year ago in Feb. 2019.