Food, Global Health 1 min
The One Health concept: the IDOH Master’s course benefits once again from European funding
PRESS RELEASE - Coordinated by the INRAE-Université de Tours Joint Research Unit for Infectiology and Public Health (ISP), the international Master’s degree in “Infectious Diseases and One Health”, operated jointly with Erasmus Mundus (EMJMD-IDOH+), has been selected once again to benefit from European funding and is thus one of the 44 applications chosen out of 91 candidates.
Published on 17 July 2019
The One Health concept, which was the original theme for this Master’s course, is recognised by global organisations for human health (WHO), animal health (OIE) and food and agriculture (FAO), which in 2010 and then 2017 signed strategic tripartite agreements. More than 60% of emerging infections in humans originate from animals. This high figure is due to the changes that are affecting our planet, such as global warming and an increasing demand for products of animal origin. The intensification of livestock farming necessary to feed nine billion people in 2050 is leading to increasing promiscuity between humans, farmed livestock and wild animals, and the inadequately managed use of medicinal products – including antibiotics – to contain pathogens. The effective and sustainable control of infectious diseases requires an integrated vision of pathogens of both animal and and human origin that takes account of environmental impacts on the emergence or re-emergence of new infections, and the impact on the environment of the control measures employed.
Since 2016, three European universities - Université de Tours (UT), l’Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the University of Edinburgh (UoE), working in collaboration with internationally-reputed institutions working in public and veterinary health – INRAE (UT), CreSA-IRTA (UAB) and the Roslin Institute (UoE) – have been training young scientists from throughout the world in the study of pathogens according to the One Health vision. Thirty one academic and private sector partners based on all continents are also participating in the IDOH project. Three promotions have been funded, with 56 study grants for the 72 students accepted.
The Master’s course now counts some fifty partners and benefits from support from national or international networks such as Emergin', VetBioNet (both coordinated by the ISP), JAMRAI and the One Health European Joint Programme. For this new cycle, Hannover Medical School (Hannover Medizinische Hochschule) has joined the consortium and the University of Edinburgh becomes an associate partner. Four promotions will be funded, with 64 grants for a total of 96 students.
