July 2019
The ILSI Research Foundation brings scientists together to improve environmental sustainability and human health. In our monthly newsletter, learn how we are advancing, disseminating, and translating science into action.
Register Today for the 2019 Scientific Symposium:
Addressing Water Variability & Scarcity - The Role of Agricultural Research

The ILSI Research Foundation is co-organizing a scientific symposium with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)'s Environment and Production Technology Division on July 17, 2019. The event will feature presentations by experts from IFPRI, the United States Agency for International Development, USDA Economic Research Service, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Georgetown University, and the World Bank. Accessible in-person and via live webcast, the talks and panel discussion will focus on new technologies that are being developed and/or applied to mitigate the impacts of water stress on agricultural productivity, as well as policy environments that would ensure the effective deployment and scaling up of water-related research. The full agenda is now available on our website! 
Safety Assessment of Foods and Feeds Derived from Genetically Engineered Plants: Phase II Technical Workshop

The ILSI Research Foundation recently concluded a two part technical training program on safety assessment of foods and feeds derived from genetically engineered plants, with Phase II taking place June 17-21, 2019 in Washington, DC and Ashland, OH. With thanks to Charles River Laboratories, our hosting partner in Ashland, 10 Chinese scientists participating in the workshop had the opportunity to tour laboratories and observe demonstrations of how food safety assessment tests are managed and conducted for GE plants, as well as how data are collected and interpreted.
Gene Drive Modeling Conference

On June 11-12, 2019, the ILSI Research Foundation convened regulators, risk assessors, modelers, and biologists for a two-day conference to address the applicability of models to assessing potential environmental impacts that may be associated with the release of gene drive organisms. Through discussions and breakout group activities, participants helped identify criteria for establishing the quality of information that will be needed to inform future risk assessments of gene drive organisms. The conference was made possible through a grant from the  U SDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program .
SAARC Regional Expert Consultation Meeting on the Progress and Prospects of Agricultural Biotechnology and Biosafety in South Asia

On June 18-20, 2019 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the ILSI Research Foundation's South Asia Biosafety Program and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Agriculture Center co-organized a consultation that shared information about the current status of agricultural biotechnology and biosafety regulation in the region. Meeting participants included biotechnology and agricultural experts from SAARC countries, including Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
Congratulations to Debbie Kibbe for Receiving the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition (PCSFN) Lifetime Achievement Award!

The PCSFN Lifetime Achievement Award is given annually to up to five individuals whose careers have greatly contributed to the advancement or promotion of physical activity, fitness, sports, or nutrition nationwide. Debbie Kibbe, former Director of the Physical Activity and Nutrition Program at the ILSI Research Foundation, was honored for her work on the advancement and promotion of physical activity, fitness, and nutrition for children, research in healthcare, education, and community settings, as well as for leading the development of TAKE10—the ILSI Research Foundation’s classroom-based program that integrates physical activity with nutrition and academic concepts.