The Global Center for Health Security held its 2025 partner expo in October, hosting nearly 30 UNMC, University of Nebraska and community partners.
“The Global Center for Health Security originally was conceived as an umbrella center to convene people from different parts of the university,” said John Lowe, PhD, director of the center. “All of the staff and faculty and programs that do health security work in relation to the global center are here showcasing what they do. And the event offers the chance for them to talk to each other, maybe walk around a little and see what other partners are doing.”
The event, held at the Davis Global Center, coincided with the Global Center for Health Security’s advisory board meeting. Dr. Lowe said it was exciting to offer board members a chance to speak directly with the partner teams doing health security work.
Director Risto Rautaiinen, PhD, and Ellen Duysen from the Central States Center for Agricultural Health and Safety were on hand, for example, to explain to attendees their organization’s ties with the global center.
“We’re highlighting the work that we’re doing with zoonotic diseases,” Duysen said. “That ties nicely into the global health systems, because there are a lot of the zoonotic-type diseases, and we work with workers who are in poultry facilities, dairies and feed yards. All of these people are in close contact with animals that may be carrying, for instance, avian influenza.”
Other partners who attended the event included Region 7, the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center, the Infectious Aerosol Research Group and others.
The event demonstrated the value of the Global Center for Health Security’s work, said UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD.
“The center is impacting so many different areas,” Dr. Davies said. “The main focus is preparedness, but there also are growing partnerships between groups at and outside of UNMC that have led to tools that providers can use to take care of patients in real time, coordinated planning efforts for mass casualty events and many other important outcomes. This event further highlights the incredible work going on that involves multiple partners.
“I’m also excited to see how our relationship with the military continues to grow, especially with the Air Force and the National Guard,” he said.