The initiative will enhance research, education and engagement across multiple universities, as well as partnership opportunities with industry and government throughout West Lafayette, Indianapolis and Lebanon.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Moving forward with a strategy that has been years in the making, Purdue University's Board of Trustees approved the launch of the One Health initiative on Friday (June 7). One Health adds to and synergizes the university's initiatives in Indianapolis, the Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. School of Business and Purdue Computing.
This strategic move consolidates the strengths of Purdue's comprehensive, health-focused academic departments and research programs while leveraging new investments in health-related institutes, partnerships and fields. One Health also strengthens the deep connections and research opportunities offered through Purdue University in Indianapolis, which opens July 1 as the university's urban campus.
“Our important One Health initiative will accelerate, expand and elevate Purdue's life and health sciences, positioning this great university for large-scale excellence in these critical fields and supporting many students and faculty across many departments in at least six colleges,” Purdue President Moon Chang said. “One Health represents both a foundational contribution to society and a unique strength of this land-grant institution.”
Additional Information
The foundation of the One Health initiative is built on four pillars.
Health Academic Division: This will be the primary academic unit to coordinate undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in health and life sciences in ways that find synergies, including the growth of strategic programs in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. 1 Health Innovation District in Indianapolis: Modeled after Purdue University’s Discovery Park district in West Lafayette, it will collaborate with companies such as Elanco to create a future that improves animal, plant, environmental and human health while positively impacting Indiana’s economy. Life Science/Chemistry+ Research Facility Exploration: Building on Purdue’s investment in a new West Lafayette facility shared by Pharmacy and Nursing, the study will explore additional facility support for faculty and students; one for an extensive health and life science research facility and another for research facilities for four departments in chemistry-related fields across the four colleges. Eli Lilly and Company: Purdue continues its collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company as the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company’s official education and training partner in the Indiana LEAP Research Innovation District.
“We will build on our incredible institutional strengths by bringing together established, globally active and highly respected programs in key areas of health, human sciences, nursing, pharmacy, animal and plant health, medicine and wellness, all based on a shared goal of meeting the rapidly changing landscape of providing high-quality care and medicines for humans and animals alike,” said President Patrick Wolf, who on May 6 announced Eric Barker's promotion to vice president for health affairs, effective July 1. “Purdue is well positioned for this important transformational step in our research and education efforts to advance human health, enrich lives and make a lasting impact on our global community.”
Establishing the One Health Innovation District also creates opportunities for collaborative partnerships between public, private, government, university and community groups aimed at attracting and retaining talented talent and promoting the growth and development of downtown Indianapolis.
On May 24, Purdue announced it has partnered with Elanco Animal Health to become part of Indiana's new One Health Innovation District, focused on establishing a globally recognized research and innovation district aimed at optimizing the health of people, animals, plants and the planet. Purdue and Elanco plan to develop a joint-use facility on three acres of land in the One Health Innovation District near Elanco's future global headquarters on the west edge of the White River in Indianapolis.
Four days later, Purdue University confirmed it would continue its collaboration with Lilly to enhance the Lilly Scholars Program, a scholarship and training initiative that helps Boilermaker students earn drug manufacturing scholarships and unique learning opportunities at Lilly, one of the world's most innovative pharmaceutical companies.
Lilly also announced plans to invest an additional $5.3 billion in its manufacturing facility in Boone County, bringing its total investment to $9 billion. Purdue is a key partner in creating a pharmaceutical training facility there. LEAP is a key part of the hard tech corridor that connects Purdue's main campus in West Lafayette to downtown Indianapolis.
“We are excited to capitalize on state, national and global trends through the launch of this new strategic initiative focused on One Health, applying an integrated approach to a new frontier in bioscience,” said Purdue Executive Vice President for Research Karen Prout. “And through the One Health Innovation District, we will build a strong research and development ecosystem in Indianapolis, partnering with industry leaders such as Eli Lilly, Elanco and partnering with Elanco in a new physical facility to support One Health research and innovation.”
One Health is globally recognized by scientific organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the preferred approach in which collaboration between human, animal and plant sciences can help solve complex health problems.
In advancing the One Health initiative, Barker will continue to work closely with the College of Health and Human Sciences Leadership Advisory Council, led by Purdue Professor Emeritus and former U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams. Adams hosted a listening session this spring with the task of laying out a blueprint for the future of Purdue's health and life sciences academic programs and research engines.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a public research institution that demonstrates excellence at scale. Ranked among the top 10 public universities in the U.S. and with two universities ranked in the top four, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with unmatched quality and scale. More than 105,000 students learn at Purdue in a variety of ways and places, with nearly 50,000 learning face-to-face at the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue's main campus has frozen tuition for 13 consecutive years. With the first integrated urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. School of Business, Purdue Computing, the One Health initiative and more, learn how Purdue never stops for its next big leap at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.
Author: Phillip Fiorini, pfiorini@purdue.edu
Media Contact: Tim Doty, doty2@purdue.edu
Source: Moon Chiang
Patrick Wolf
Eric Barker
Karen Prout
