One Health is one of the five Focus Areas chosen by Una Europa, chosen based on the mission and values shared by our partner universities. These Focus Areas act as initial thematic “glue” that ties our universities together in our mission to create a virtual campus. Our approach to One Health, as with all our Focus Areas, is multidisciplinary, transnational, and driven by delivering real impact in teaching and learning, and research and innovation.
The health of humans, animals, other organisms and the environment are inextricably linked. As proven by the Covid-19 pandemic, health challenges that stem from the complex interaction between humans, animals, plants and ecosystems call for a review of existing concepts and methods. Tighter collaboration across sectors and disciplines - life sciences, public health and social sciences - is crucial. The diverse range of One Health expertise from across the Una Europa partners carries tremendous potential to deliver high-quality initiatives in education, research and social engagement at large.
The ninth episode of the Una Europa podcast consists of a discussion between Assistant Professor Annamari Heikinheimo, of Helsingin Yliopisto/ Helsinfors Universitet and Dr. Alexandra Soulier, of Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. The discussion is moderated by Dr. Yasmin Abdalla, a research assistant at the University of Edinburgh. Our three speakers explore the hot topic of antimicrobial resistance: how it exemplifies One Health, and the importance of interdisciplinarity to effective, impactful research.
" We know that antimicrobial resistance is a long-term issue & that all of us somehow contribute, participate, & are… affected by it. This raises the question of solidarity in face of such an enormous threat. "
Alexandra Soulier on the scope of antimicrobial resistance
" In the year 2050, there could be infections that people will die of without having effective drugs if we do not do anything to this problem. And it is strongly a One Health issue because it happens in animals, in humans, & it is related to the environment. "
Annamari Heikinheimo on possible consequences of antimicrobial resistance
About Our Speakers
Assistant Professor Annamari Heikinheimo is a veterinarian and specialist in Food Hygiene and Environmental Health at the University of Helsinki.
Dr. Alexandra Soulier is a social scientist and specialist in the Philosophy of Medicine at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Our moderator is Dr. Yasmin Abdalla, a qualified veterinarian with an interest in the role that animal health plays in food security, One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance. Yasmin is a research assistant at the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security at the University of Edinburgh.
" There is this vertical cooperation that is needed to tackle antimicrobial resistance from the local to the global... But also this great opportunity for horizontal cooperation, what we have here today, where we are working in an interdisciplinary way. "
Yasmin Abdalla on different approached to research into antimicrobial resistance
The podcast is part of the 1Europe project and co-financed by Erasmus+.
