"International Symposium on One Health Research: Improving Food Security and Resilience."
Galveston, Texas — April 21-23, 2024

Location: Moody Gardens Resort and Convention Center,
One Hope Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77554

Supporters: UTMB Chief Research Office, UTMB One Health,
Galveston National Lab and Institute for Human Infections and Immunity

Email UTMBOneHealth@utmb.edu for registration information.

Symposium Rationale

Complex public health problems such as emerging infectious diseases, occupational health risks faced by agriculture workers, and ongoing concerns with food safety require multidisciplinary and inter-institutional approaches to protect the security, resiliency, and sustainability of the global food supply.

Our international Symposium Planning Committee of 22 diverse experts is designing a program to engage leaders in agricultural industry, public health, veterinary health, food safety, and environmental health institutions. The Symposium will be unique in that food productions experts will be centrally featured with the goal of identifying common ground from which new interdisciplinary research partnerships might arise and lead to better food resilience. We will feature lectures from the beef, dairy, egg & poultry, pork, aquaculture, fresh produce, and processed food industries. Other research topics will include emerging infectious diseases (viral, bacterial, and other), and the environmental, social, and public communication factors that impact Food Security.  We will particularly highlight successful One Health mitigation approaches to Food Security problems. We will also feature a poster competition with monetary awards.

Symposium Objectives

  • To promote a transdisciplinary, 'One Health' research approach focusing on food security in tackling complex problems that plague food production, human (worker and consumer) health, animal health, and environmental health.

  • To share research knowledge regarding complex problems affecting food security and testing potential solutions concerning these complex problems

  • To build community and new collaborations between diverse professionals and their numerous institutions that work in the area of food safety, recognizing that food security cannot be addressed by a single organizational entity.

  • To recognize and promote excellence among junior professionals working in research areas amenable to One Health approaches.

Agenda and Speakers

In addition to our extremely accomplished planning committee members, we are busy lining up world-class speakers who will present research-oriented data on our Symposium theme of Food Security and Resilience. The very dynamic draft agenda can be viewed via this link.

Hotel Reservations

The symposium will take place at The Moody Gardens Hotel and Conference Center (Moody Gardens). Moody Gardens is offering Symposium registrants a group rate of $169 (before taxes) standard room (one King bed or two doubles. March 31 is the cutoff for the special conference rate). The Hotel provides complimentary wireless internet access throughout the property, including the guest rooms Complimentary self-parking is available for all guests or valet parking is available for $22.00 for overnight, $10.00 for garage self-parking and $6.50 for day parking. Group rates are available two (2) days before and after the meeting dates, based upon availability.

Moody Gardens provides more than 22,000 square feet of flexible meeting space with complimentary Wi-Fi and the requisite audio visual equipment which will provide the necessary resources for a successful meeting. The host hotel is close to additional hotels and vacation rentals for additional pricing options for meeting participants. While the host hotel does not provide in house child-care facilities, there are a number of daycare facilities within a short (less than 5-mile) radius available to the conference participants.

Register for Hotel Rooms here.

Moody Gardens is an ideal venue due to its onsite educational attractions such as the Rainforest Pyramid®, Discovery Pyramid® with NASA-inspired and traveling science exhibits, and Aquarium Pyramid® – all of which are aligned with the global One Health initiative in addition to promoting inclusive and collaborative learning, fostering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) exploration and discovery to empower learners of all ages to reach their full potential. The costs for enjoying these Moody Gardens attractions are available here. Please note that these attractions are not included in Symposium registration costs.

Travel to and within Galveston

Galveston is accessible via two airports (William H. Hobby Airport within 40 miles and George Bush Intercontinental Airport within 70 miles) with both supporting domestic and international travelers. Transportation from these airports to Galveston and within Galveston is best secured by commercial taxi or commercial ride services such as Uber and Lyft.  However, as such transportation is rather expensive, Symposium attendees may instead want to rent a vehicle.  A rented vehicle will also support their visits to Galveston sites outside of Moody Gardens.  For instance, Symposium visitors may want to plan a short trip to enjoy the beach or to visit Galveston’s downtown area, many restaurants, or other tourist sites:

https://www.galveston.com/trip-planning/areas/downtown/

https://www.galveston.com/

www.fly2houston.com/

Travel Awards for the best One Health Abstracts Abstract Submission Deadline: March 8, 2024

Considering abstracts submitted by students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty, a subset of the planning committee will review and rank abstracts for the best examples of One Health research. Criteria for One Health research excellence will include:

  1. Does the research involve at least two of these three elements: human health, animal health, or environmental health?
  2. Are the research results likely to advance food security and resilience?

To offset meetings costs we will offer $250 travel awards to the presenting author for each of the top ten abstracts. 

Abstracts will be screened by March 18, 2024 and travel awards announced by March 22, 2024.

Guidelines for Drafting a Research Abstract

Poster Competition

To promote excellence in One Health research, particularly among junior professionals, we are including a poster competition. The poster competition will be scored by multiple planning committee members using a Food Security Poster Competition Score Card. Presenters with the highest two scores in each of three categories (six awards total) will be recognized with first and second prize certificates and cash awards (first prize $200, 2nd prize $100): High School/Undergraduate/Masters student, and Doctoral student/Postdoctoral trainee/Junior faculty

The six winners of the poster competition will be notified by email and phone call by the evening of April 23rd and recognized in the final Symposium session the morning of April 24th.  In this session the six poster competition winners will be invited on stage and asked to give a three-minute summary of their research. Hence, in addition to drafting a poster, all poster presenters should prepare and rehearse a no more than 3-minute PowerPoint presentation. 

 

Guidelines for Drafting a Research Poster    |    Poster Competition Details

Research Abstract

Research Abstract Submission Form

Please send your completed Research Abstract Submission Form (file 1) and your research abstract (file 2) to UTMBOneHealth@utmb.edu.  Your submission should be acknowledged in 24hrs.  If not please send a query via email to Ms. Toni D’Agostino at tjdagost@utmb.edu.

Collaboration with the Scientific Journal One Health

A leading online scientific journal, One Health, has graciously agreed to help sponsor and promote the Symposium.  The mission of Elsevier’s One Health journal is to provide a platform for rapid communication of high-quality scientific knowledge on inter- and intra-species pathogen transmission, bringing together leading experts in virology, bacteriology, parasitology, mycology, vectors and Vector-Borne diseases, tropical health, veterinary sciences, pathology, immunology, food safety, mathematical modelling, epidemiology, public health research and emergency preparedness. One Health is the official journal of the International Federation for Tropical Medicine.

One Health will publish the Symposium abstracts as a supplement to the journal at no cost to the authors.  One Health has also agreed to publish a collection of research manuscripts from among the Symposium’s best oral presentations or posters in a special issue at a 30% reduction in publication costs.

Once the special issue is set up, there will also be a page on the journal homepage dedicated to submission with instructions that will  guide prospective authors.  Speakers or poster presenters wishing to have their manuscripts considering for publication in the special issue are invited to prepare and submit their manuscript according to the journal’s instructions for authors. See: Guide for authors - One Health - ISSN 2352-7714. Manuscripts will be first screened by the journal’s editor, as well as by a subcommittee of Symposium Guest Editors.

Symposium Registration Details

We are striving to make this an affordable scientific meeting and are planning discounted early bird registration as well as reduced registration costs for trainees.

Registration Costs

Participant Category

Registration Type

Applicable Date(s)

Registration Fee

Professional

Early

by January 31, 2024

$500

 

Standard

February 1 - March 31, 2024

$550

 

Late

April 1 - 23, 2024

$600

Trainee (Enrolled in a full-time educational program or residency)

Early

by January 31, 2024

$60

 

Standard

February 1 - March 31, 2024

$80

 

Late

April 1 - 23, 2024

$100

Please register as soon as you can such that we can plan to accommodate you in the Symposium.  Written requests for registration refunds must be postmarked on or before March 21, 2024. Cancellations submitted on or before March 21, 2024, will be refunded less a $75 meeting cancellation fee for Professional registrations and $25 for trainee registrations. No refunds will be made after March 21, 2024. Refunds are not given for no-shows. Registration substitutions from the same institution are accepted. All fees will be reimbursed if the program is cancelled.

Excursions

Pre-Symposium half-day (4hr) guided inshore fishing trip in Galveston Bay (up to 4 persons/boat)

Date/time: Sunday April 21st, 5:30AM - 1PM
Transportation details to be arranged

Cost: $150-$200/person. Guests need bring only a hat, sunscreen, water, and a snack. Guests must have a Texas saltwater fishing license. Price varies by residence, age, and duration. A nonresident one-day saltwater license is only $16. Licenses can be purchased in many stores or via this web site:
https://www.txfgsales.com/CustomerSearch.aspx

Pre-Symposium discounted tour of NASA Center Houston
NASA Center - Houston website

Date/time: Sunday April 21st, 12 noon-5PM
Shuttles leave Moody Gardens Symposium (registration area) at ~8:30AM and return at ~5:30PM

Cost: $21.95 + shuttle cost

Post-Symposium Tour of UTMB Highlights - the
Galveston National Laboratory,
Health Education Center,
Old Red Medical Museum ,
and UTMB’s Biocontainment Unit

 

Date/time: Tuesday, April 23rd, 2-6PM (light lunches and soft drinks will be provided in the GNL lecture room)

Time: Shuttles leave Moody Gardens Symposium (registration area) at 2 PM and return at ~6 PM. Access to the GNL requires security approval. (Visitors must sign up before April 1st)

Cost: Free

Help Sponsor this Symposium with an Educational Grant

UTMB is offering opportunities to support this symposium through the issuance of education grants.  Grantors will receive acknowledgement on the symposium website, at the symposium and in post-conference proceedings / publications.  Suggested levels are:

Platinum (>$15,000)
Gold (>$10,000 - $15,000)
Silver (>$5,000 - $10,000)
Bronze(>$500 - $5,000)

To discuss offering support for the Symposium please contact UTMB’s Ms. Toni D’Agostino at tjdagost@utmb.edu or cell (409) 392-3471.


International One Health Symposium Planning Committee Members

Mark R. Ackermann, DVM, PhD, DACVP
Center Director, USDA/ARS-National Animal Disease Center, Ames, Iowa, USA

Dennis A. Bente, DVM, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA

Mandy A. Carr-Johnson, PhD
Sr. Executive Director, Scientific Affairs, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Littleton, Colorado, USA

Matthew Dacso, MD, MSc, FACP
Chair ad interim, Department of Global Health and Emerging Diseases, UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA

David I. Douphrate, PhD, MPT, MBA, CPE, CSP
Associate Professor, Depart of Environmental & Occupational Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

Heather Fowler, VMD PhD MPH DACVPM PMP
Director of Producer and Public Health, National Pork Board, Clive, IA, USA

Kathleen F. Gensheimer, MD, MPH, FIDSA
One Health Initiative Advisory Board, Phippsburg, Maine, USA

Gregory C. Gray, MD, MPH, FIDSA
Robert E. Shope, MD, Professor in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Departments of Internal Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Microbiology and Immunology, and Global Health & Emerging Diseases, UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA

Denise L. B. Heard, DVM, MAM, ACPV
Vice President, Research Programs, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Tucker, GA,USA

Gustavo Hernandez Vidal, DVM, MSc, PhD
Dean and Professor, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Escobedo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

Galaxia A. Cortés Hinojosa, MV, MSc, PhD, CertAqVet, DACVM
Assistant Professor, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Pontificia Universidad, Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Guy H. Loneragan, BVSc, PhD
Dean and Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas Tech University, Amarillo, TX, USA

Susan McLellan, MD MPH
Professor, Department of Medicine, UTMB, Galveston, TX, USA

Hung Nguyen-Viet, MSc, DVM
Lead, CGIAR Initiative on One Health, International Livestock Research Institute|ilri.org, Nairobi, Kenya

Juergen A. Richt, DVM, PhD
Regents and University Distinguished Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA

Steven C. Ricke, MS. PhD
Director – Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery (MSABD) Program Professor, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, USA

Anabel Rodriguez, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Texas, San Antonio, TX, USA

James A. Roth, DVM, PhD
Distinguished Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

Linda J. Saif, MS, PhD
Distinguished University Professor, Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio, USA

Teck Hock Toh, MBBS, FRCPCH
Professor, Faculty of Medicine, SEGi University, Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia

Montse Torremorell, DVM, PhD
Professor and interim chair & Chair College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA

Batsukh Zayat, DVM, PhD, ScD
Professor, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Symposium Sponsor — Platinum Level

Symposium Sponsor —
Bronze Level


Elsevier One Health Journal

Symposium Sponsor —
Bronze Level

CEEZAD Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases



Confirmed Speakers/Participants

View Full Listing

Subscribe to the UTMB One Health Newsletter

* indicates required