Uniting disciplines to protect and promote the health of all life on Earth.
The One Health approach recognizes that the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment are inextricably linked, with the health of one affecting the health of all. Issues must be addressed cohesively instead of independently.
This convergence approach is essential considering that approximately 70% of emerging infectious disease cases in humans and livestock are a consequence of spillover events from wildlife. Similarly, humans play a role in animal disease emergence by facilitating global transfer of infectious agents, altering landscape conditions, and adding environmental disturbances. Losses due to plant diseases can reduce global agricultural productivity by up to 40% for the five major food crops, thus undermining our ability to safeguard national and global food security. In response, state, national, and international governmental agencies have initiated programs directed at developing One Health solutions to address the rapidly emerging national and global health challenges that we face.
The UT One Health Initiative is a system-wide network of faculty and students seeking to address complex health issues around the globe through interdisciplinary collaboration. We promote One Health at UT and beyond through research, outreach, and education—check out some of our programs below, and join our mailing list to stay in the loop!
Global Network
Upcoming Seminar
Dr. Yolanda McDonald is an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Human and Organizational Development at Vanderbilt University and the Lead Investigator of the Drinking Water Justice Lab. She applies a One Health lens to U.S. water governance, demonstrating how fragmented regulation across drinking water, agriculture, industry, and ecosystem protection creates dangerous blind spots. When these sectors operate in isolation, contamination cascades undetected through food systems and drinking water supplies. Drawing on epidemiological evidence and policy analysis, Dr. McDonald will discuss how this siloed approach undermines public health, animal welfare, food security, and environmental integrity. The talk concludes by exploring what integrated water governance could look like and inviting critical examination of barriers to coordination across sectors.
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