Monash host fornewUN food agency

A United Nations -.ncr in food safety MCI nUtritioiI has been announced for the AIIa-Pacffic region, with Monash University as Its host. Monash has been invited by the United NatioDs Fopd and ~ 0rp0isaajp0 to eaIabIiah ('.eatR of ExceJJe.:e in Fe&d-~SIIetr ad Nutrition, only the sec:oad of' type.in the world. The chair of the cenIte wiB. be ProfessoJ: Mark Wab1qyiat, director of the Asia-Paciic Health and Nua:rition Centre baaed in the Monash Asia lusdIuIIe 8D4 asaodate . '-0. IJIIIicQIJ) in the QDi9tnlit(t ·~ of Professor. Mark wahlql1ist Medicine. ~ WabJqvist· also ~ of the IDtematicmil drinking water, society needs to be able UDkm at NutritieQ ScieIa. to evaluate those risks and base its The centre WiD haft .... sCher decisions on sound advice. key plQeI"I; IDdadidg Monash's "For example, the new cenIre wiD departments of Epidemiology and be looking into the safety of new foods Preventive Medicine, and Medicine, as that are entering the market foods that have been genetically modified or ftlI as MOftISb IntematiooIl. manufactured in a certain way that pre­ Professor Wahlqvist said the new sent new questions on public safety centre would draw upon several fields and quality." of expertise at Monash to deliver train­ The announcement 'of the centre ing-and technic.aI assistance programs coincides with several developments in food q~, safety and INtrition. involving Monash and its F~ of "Monash has extensive expertise Medicine in the Asian region. and institutiolllll links in the areas of The appointment of Profe880r health, economics, trade and society, Wahlqvist to the Monash Asia Institute as befits a truly international university. introduces expertise in nutrition and In the health sedor, in particuJar, these health into an institute internation8lly. networks are of direct reIevaoc:e to the regarded for its ~ in political new centre, and it will draw upon the diplomacy and business linkages. expertise and advice acroeea broad "My aim is to see Monash as a key range of professional and scientific player right throughout the .A8i&­ :IiekIs," he said. Paci:Iic region in health and medicine," "In addition, Melbourne is the 1ogi­ Professor Wablqvist said. "Most uni­ cal place in this part of the world for a versities in the area are feeling their FAO Centre of Exc:e11ence. Victoria way and many are wary ater the ec0­ excels in food scieoce and tKImology, nomic crisis. But it is appreciated agriculture, biomedical sciences, throuahout the region thatwe are long­ Law pro"sal t biotechnology, health care aDd infor­ term players, and the Monash mation technology as weD as transport Malaysia campus is the beSt example BY KAv ANSELL and trade into the Asia-Paci:Iic region." of this." One area on which the centre wiD At Monash Malaysia, Professor The phoenix company ....orn­ concentrate and of special interest to Merilyn UcIdeD has been appointed a enen Is aptly named after the ProfessorW~~thee~ resource person for doctors and health mythical bird that ...... from Its field of risk health science. bodies in the region. Professor UddeD ..... tolhe ... "Risk health science is one of the is also developing undergraduate, post" ma,jor new agendas in health: he said. graduate and abort courses to co~ In a bw!iness context, the ashes are "Most thinaa we do contain some ele­ ment the. current Bachelor of NursiIJg the pile of debts owing to .the contrac­ ment of risk. and with regard to manu­ and the soon-lo-begin Bachelor of tors and suppliers !:he company bas facturing our food and providing our Biomedical Science in Malaysia. 'burned' aJooa.with way. wbie it lives to­ tRde.....JII1)1edi:!d by iIlJlmi­ ed ~ underc:0rp0rati0D8law. A Monash UuftrenIity lecturer has proposed a way of mii1imising the damage suc:h oompanies c:auae to Ihe thOUSll1ds of snail ~ Jell eat of poclcet aod wid! few optioae (or reeoveriDg their debtIt. Ms VIdQ Vmn, IIII8iaaIIIlt IedInr in the Faculty of Law, says the buiJdiJrg industry, 1db ita army of c::oatndms and suhcootracIors. is the secbJr wont hitby pboaIix conapaaies.