IFAS Research Dean shares vision of how science can improve human health
UF/IFAS Research Dean Mark McLellan addressed a group of FDA scientists in Maryland Tuesday, sharing his vision on “The Role of Science in Improving Human Health.”
McLellan was the keynote speaker for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition’s (CFSAN) annual science day. The audience was filled with some 200 FDA scientists, technicians, regulators and policy makers.
CFSAN is one of six centers within the FDA.
McLellan told the group about the great leaps he expects science to take as quantum-leap strides are made in areas such as nanotechnology and bioinformatics.
“With us being able to look at some 300,000 protein systems, we should be able to say ‘this is what your diet should be today, and if you want to live longer, this is what it should be for the next five years,’” he said.
Contrast that to a blood screen one might get from a doctor today, which typically would cover just 20 to 30 health issues.
His speech covered scientific partnerships between business, government and academic research institutions, as well as describing science as a language that can build bridges between people who otherwise would never communicate.
“You can bridge many gaps with science,” he said, recalling a meeting of U.S. and Iraqi scientists, in which science quickly won out over cultural and political differences.
He noted food scares such as spinach in the U.S. and tainted pet food from China.
“I think that our goal needs to be building assurance systems, as opposed to testing everything that comes through the door,” he said.
And he spoke about national security, as it relates to food science.
“Our food supply is an easy target,” he said. “But you can’t gate, fence, secure or wall up everything. The challenge there is finding the appropriate response.”
McLellan urged CFSAN members to do their part to maintain the status the FDA enjoys as a trusted part of government.
“That reputation will continue, based on the quality of their science, their commitment and their ethics,” he said. “They must always remain focused on the quality of their science.”
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Mark McLellan
