WRAIR and Smithsonian scientists discuss the big picture of medical research at the 3rd annual One Heath Symposium

Photo By Hannah Covington | U.S. Army Col. Eli Lozano, commander of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), prepares to present WRAIR coins as a token of appreciation during the first plenary session of the third annual One Health Symposium at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, MD, November 22, 2024. The coins were presented to Dr. Anne Clay, Shared Health Program Specialist, Smithsonian Institution (SI), Dr. Pierre Comizzoli, Senior Program Officer at the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Research, SI, and Dr. Katrina Lohan, head of the Coastal Disease Ecology Laboratory, SERC. The One Health Symposium celebrates the 60-year partnership between WRAIR and the Smithsonian Institution (SI), and fosters discussions and collaboration between researchers and scientist from different organizations. The symposium was attended by professionals from WRAIR, SI, and several other government science organizations. The event created connections between researchers and celebrated the One Health initiative, which is a collaborative approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and the environment, with the ultimate goal of achieving Soldier readiness and enhancing global health security. (U.S. Army photo by Hannah Covington/RELEASED)  

MARYLAND, UNITED STATES

12.19.2024

Story by Zeke Gonzalez 

Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the Smithsonian hosted the 3rd annual One Health Research Symposium on November 22nd at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. More than more than 90 scientists from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), the Smithsonian, and nine other organizations came together to discuss the largest challenges in medical research.

For 60 years, WRAIR and the Smithsonian have been partners who match their research capabilities to form novel collaborations. The central feature of the annual symposium is the simultaneous breakout rooms which allowed scientists in-person and remote to discuss antimicrobial resistance, ecological interactions with zoonotic disease, wastewater surveillance, and more.

“These discussions have proved essential in developing productive and impactful collaborations between WRAIR and the Smithsonian” explained WRAIR Commander Col. Eli Lozano. “This is only the third year of the One Health symposium, but WRAIR and the Smithsonian have a long history of sharing knowledge, resources, and products that further the efforts of both organizations.”

WRAIR studies pathogen effects on the human body, while the Smithsonian studies pathogen effects on animals and environments. By combining their experience and expanding the context of their work, these scientists build new paradigms for the study of medicine in a modern world.

For example, WRAIR and the Smithsonian collaborated to secure GEIS funding for a cutting-edge project that is comparing the sensitivity of pathogen detection in routine environmental sampling methods to that of natural biofilters (such as oysters). Oysters and other biofilters are possible sentinels to detecting microbial threats, an out-of-the-box methodology that has the potential to increase pathogen detection sensitivity up to 100-fold.

“Science should not be done in silos,” said Col. Lozano. “This partnership demonstrates that ‘military science’ is not as different from other scientific pursuits as one may think. By getting out of our individual siloed agencies and working together, we’re able to get the most out of our efforts, creating innovations that benefit everyone—from military operations to the broader global community.”

• Date Taken: 12.19.2024
• Date Posted: 12.19.2024 14:05
• Story ID: 487939
• Location: MARYLAND, US