Food as Medicine and Community Health
K-State Olathe will establish a center for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research focused on food as medicine and community health that links to bio- and food manufacturing.
Overview
K-State Olathe has the opportunity to work on Grand Societal challenges focusing on community health and wellbeing, sustainability, global food security and enabling technologies.
K-State Olathe has a strong research program in urban food systems, food safety, 1Data and consumer and sensory research. The programs work closely together to provide interdisciplinary research from farm to fork and have built strong collaborations with other universities including the Cleveland Clinic, The University of California Davis, North Carolina State University and the University of Florida. The advanced manufacturing and supply chain programs will fit in with this research by including manufacturing and transportation as part of the farm to fork research focus.
We also know the impact food has on health. People who have diabetes, heart disease or other serious illnesses such as cancer can change their diets and have improved health outcomes. Food can be a part of their treatment.
This is why K-State Olathe is going to be a leader in Food as Medicine and Community Health.
While Food as Medicine is a newer focus area, it will transform how we treat diseases in the future. The Johnson County Education and Research Triangle is positioned to collaborate and grow in this area building on each organization’s strengths.
Next steps
K-State Olathe will establish a center for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research focused on food as medicine and community health that links to bio- and food manufacturing.
- Invest $4 million to hire top researchers to compliment the faculty researchers already at the university and in the region to build research and educational programs.
- Hire the first faculty researcher who will lead the effort to build the Food as Medicine and Community Health initiative through a collaborative, targeted effort alongside the university and its partners.
- working on the next building at K-State Olathe to provide space for research and education with a goal to have it operational in less than 5 years.
For more information about this initiative, including how to partner, interest in educational programs or research, please contact Debbie Kirchhoff, executive director of strategic initiatives at debbierk@ksu.edu.