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UCLA, Kuwaiti research institute form alliance to promote global health
Date: May 6, 2009
Contact: Sarah Anderson (email)
Phone: (310) 267-0440
As the world has nervously watched the spread of the H1N1 swine influenza virus, one thing has become very clear: Health problems do not respect borders or international boundaries.
That is one of the reasons the UCLA School of Public Health is teaming with the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) to promote research, training and education that will address issues that are critical to regional and global health.
On May 4, Dr. Linda Rosenstock, dean of the School of Public Health, signed a memorandum of understanding between the school and the KISR to establish a Strategic Alliance for Joint Collaboration.
"The UCLA School of Public Health is committed to working hand in hand with Kuwaiti researchers, policymakers and industry in the interest of promoting health," Rosenstock said. "We are reminded daily that to improve local health, we must work to promote global health."
One goal of the alliance is to jointly launch research initiatives in the areas of nutrition, diabetes and obesity-related health issues.
"This alliance reflects the UCLA School of Public Health's deep reservoir of expertise and experience in global health issues and KISR's aspirations to become a regional and international research leader in food quality, nutrition and public health," said Kabirr M.O. Faal, project coordinator and manager for the alliance. "The collaboration between the two institutions illustrates the kind of transnational partnerships and collaborations that are essential to addressing the world's public health challenges."
Specifically, the goals of the alliance are to:
- Facilitate the establishment of an internationally recognized research, training and education program at KISR in several areas, including, but not limited to, food and nutrition and their impacts on public and individual health, quality systems for food safety and production, biostatistics, intervention research, environment and health sciences, risk assessment and management, and health services.
- Cooperate in the development of leadership within Kuwait in selected disciplines and share expertise beyond Kuwait and the Gulf region.
- Generate mutual benefits from the establishment of the proposed research and education collaborations in fields including, but not limited to, global health, food and nutrition policy.
The collaboration will meet these objectives through research and mentorship of research scholars, joint publications, conferences, training, and education. A Center of Excellence will be established in Kuwait that will implement training, workshops, seminars and policy recommendations.
Finally, KISR and UCLA together will explore potential sources of funding support for collaborative research in Kuwait in the areas of nutrition, prevention of noncommunicable and chronic diseases, and environmental health.
The UCLA School of Public Health is dedicated to enhancing the public's health by conducting innovative research, training future leaders and health professionals, translating research into policy and practice, and serving local, national and international communities.
UCLA is California's largest university, with an enrollment of nearly 38,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The UCLA College of Letters and Science and the university's 11 professional schools feature renowned faculty and offer more than 323 degree programs and majors. UCLA is a national and international leader in the breadth and quality of its academic, research, health care, cultural, continuing education and athletic programs. Four alumni and five faculty have been awarded the Nobel Prize.
For more news, visit the UCLA Newsroom.
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