The Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Lagos (UNILAG), held its maiden yearly scientific conference, convening researchers, policymakers, health professionals, academics and industry stakeholders to deliberate on responses to emerging global health, environmental and biodiversityp challenges.

The conference, themed ‘One health: Preparing the next generation for a changing world,’ was designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and to advance research, education and innovation across the areas of human, animal, and environmental health as well as sustainability.

While declaring the conference opened, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, said the world is experiencing rapid urbanisation and technological advancement that are fundamentally altering the global health landscape.

Ogunsola stated that these changes make it imperative for institutions to adopt integrated approaches to disease prevention, environmental management and public health planning.

She noted that the defining health challenges of the present time include emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change and food insecurity.

The vice-chancellor said these problems cannot be addressed in isolation by any single discipline or sector.

“From emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance to climate change and food insecurity, the defining health challenges of our time require integrated thinking and collective action. A One Health approach is no longer optional,” she said.

Ogunsola expressed optimism that the maiden conference would stimulate new partnerships among scientists, clinicians, policymakers and industry leaders, and that such collaborations would produce research outputs with direct and meaningful impact on society.

Delivering the keynote address, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, stressed the urgent need for an integrated biosecurity system that deliberately links human, animal and environmental health.

Abayomi described biosecurity as a holistic, multi-sectoral approach that is capable of safeguarding citizens, natural resources and biodiversity from diseases, pests, toxins and other evolving risks.

He warned that Lagos, as one of Africa’s fastest-growing megacities, faces increasing health threats that arise specifically from the interaction between humans, animals and the environment.

“Every serious health threat facing Lagos in the coming years will emerge at the interface between people, animals and the environment, particularly as global mobility continues to increase,” he said.

The commissioner explained that several factors are reshaping global health risks.

He listed these to include demographic shifts, expanding trade routes, growth in tourism, the effects of climate change, advances in technology, the emergence of new pathogens, and the depletion of natural resources.

According to him, the Lagos State government is already embedding the One Health framework into governance structures.

He said this involves fostering structured collaboration among state agencies responsible for health, agriculture, environmental protection, sanitation and urban planning, in order to build resilience against current and future threats.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences, Prof Ganiyu Oyetibo, described the conference as a landmark event in the evolution of the faculty.

He recalled that the Faculty of Life Sciences was established in 2024 following the restructuring of the former Faculty of Science, and officially commenced academic activities on August 1, 2025.

Oyetibo said the creation of the faculty was intended to redefine biological research within the university through excellence in teaching, innovation and community engagement.

He noted that the mandate of the faculty is to produce graduates and research that respond directly to contemporary challenges.

“Our mission is to provide transformative education, foster groundbreaking research and responsibly apply biological knowledge to address global challenges in health, biodiversity and sustainability,” he said.

He added that the faculty remains committed to training the next generation of scientific leaders, and that this commitment will be driven by the core values of integrity, inclusiveness, innovation and collaboration.