The first strategic planning meeting of the proposed Center for Food Safety and the Prevention of Foodborne Diseases was held on Tuesday April 26, 2011 at the UNC Centerra Campus in Loveland. The meeting was organized by the Colorado School of Public Health to jump-start the development of the Center and help define the Center’s vision, goals, and focus areas.
This inaugural meeting brought together over 50 experts in a variety of disciplines from industry, academia, and government. Dr. Robert Tauxe, Deputy Director of the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the key note address on “Food Safety in the 21st Century: The Interdisciplinary Challenge”. In the afternoon, participants joined one of five breakout sessions to discuss priority the areas of structure and governance, educations and training, focus areas and research, outbreak and multidisciplinary collaboration.
The ultimate goal is to create a sustainable center of excellence in food safety and the prevention of foodborne disease as part of the Colorado School of Public Health that fosters collaboration among industry, government, and academia. The proposed Center for Food Safety and the Prevention of Foodborne Disease will provide a forum for multi-disciplinary research, training, and community outreach.
Elaine Scallan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology said “There are many experts in Colorado working on food safety issues. The proposed Center will build on these activities by providing a forum for communication, information sharing, and multidisciplinary research.”
Increasing collaboration between investigators will expand and improve food safety activities across partner institutions so that the Center is “greater than the sum of its parts”. The Center will also aim to enhance visibility and public knowledge of food safety in Colorado.
For further information on the Center, please contact Elaine Scallan, Elaine.Scallan@ucdenver.edu