UK to host 3rd annual One Health Symposium Nov. 3
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 15, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) and the One Health Initiative invite the UK campus community, along with local and state stakeholders, to the 2026 One Health Symposium Tuesday, Nov. 3, in concert with celebrating International One Health Day. The One Health Symposium is 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on campus in the Gatton Student Center’s Harris Ballroom.
This year’s symposium is designed to further inform and inspire attendees about One Health — a collaborative effort to improve the health of animals, people and the environment. Attendees will have an opportunity to join UK’s One Health Initiative, a hub for collaborative research, instruction, extension and outreach efforts in advancing One Health in Kentucky and beyond.
“Because of the popularity centered around One Health, we are excited to continue hosting the third annual symposium here at the University of Kentucky,” said S. Reddy Palli, Ph.D., director of UK One Health Initiative at Martin-Gatton CAFE. “At UK, we remain committed in becoming a leader in educating people about the significance of One Health and its impact on everyone’s daily life.”
The speaker lineup will cover a variety of One Health topics, including antimicrobial resistance; public and environmental health; salmonella; workforce development; climate change and vector-borne diseases; and toxin-producing fungi.
In order of presentation time, the keynote and invited speakers include:
- David White, University of Tennessee. “One Health at the Crossroads: Antimicrobial Resistance, Food Safety & Animal Health.”
- David Burgess, UK College of Pharmacy. “Antimicrobial Resistance: A One Health Crisis.”
- Vaneet Arora, UK College of Medicine. “Beyond the Bench: How Public Health Labs Drive the One Health Defense Against AMR.”
- Yosra Helmy, UK Martin-Gatton CAFE. “From Genomes to One Health: Uncovering Salmonella Footprints Across Kentucky.”
- Nina Fefferman, Arizona State University. “Pandemic Preparedness — the Ultimate One Health Challenge.”
- Anita Gabriela Villacis Salazar, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. “Preparing the Health Workforce for Climate Change and Vector-Borne Diseases: Global Gaps and Opportunities for a One Health Approach.”
- Erin Haynes, UK College of Public Health. “The Intricate Role of Environmental Health in the One Health Framework.”
- Gary Munkvold, UK Martin-Gatton CAFE. “Toxin-Producing Fungi — Natural Threats to a Healthy Environment for Plants, Animals, and Us.”
Students, postdoctoral students and early-career professionals will present on One Health in a poster competition. There will also be a roundtable discussion on the development of transdisciplinary, multi-PI grant proposals for One Health.
Visit the One Health Symposium webpage to learn more and register. Interested attendees are encouraged to register by Oct. 30.
The UK One Health Initiative is part of The Bill Gatton Foundation Grand Challenges, which includes projects that will significantly impact communities in Kentucky and beyond.
“We remain thankful to The Bill Gatton Foundation for supporting work at the intersection of agriculture, health and the environment,” said Laura Stephenson, Ph.D., vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE. “The One Health approach recognizes that the health of Kentuckians, animals and our natural resources are deeply connected. By working together across disciplines and communities, we can improve lives across Kentucky and beyond.”
Visit gatton-legacy.mgcafe.uky.edu to learn more about Bill Gatton’s historic gift along with the Bill Gatton Foundation Grand Challenges.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.