Introducing the One Health Institute of the University of Georgia at the 6th International Laboratory Medicine Symposium (ILMS2025) and Establishing One Health Collaborations with the Chongqing Medical University, China

Dr. Mamuka Kotetishvili, Director of the One Health Institute (OHI) at the University of Georgia, participated in the 6th International Laboratory Medicine Symposium (ILMS2025), held on June 13–14 in Chongqing, China. During the symposium, Dr. Kotetishvili presented key research findings from OHI’s recent projects addressing critical challenges in the One Health domain, with a particular focus on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and zoonotic diseases. He also served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee and the Expert Panel on One Health Translational Research of this international symposium.

During his visit, Dr. Kotetishvili held a series of meetings with Dr. Yi-Wei Tang, Dean of the School of Public Health at Chongqing Medical University, along with members of the faculty and associated research teams. The discussions centered on fostering collaborative research initiatives between Georgian and Chinese institutions. Both parties agreed to launch joint projects focused on genome-based surveillance of zoonotic bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance within the One Health framework. These collaborative efforts aim to support the goals of China’s One Belt, One Road initiative, which promotes global partnerships in infrastructure, health, and scientific innovation.

“ILMS2025 proved to be an outstanding platform for the exchange of scientific knowledge, showcasing cutting-edge research from across China and the global scientific community. Establishing close research collaboration with Dr. Yi-Wei Tang— one of the internationally recognized leading scholars of laboratory medicine—and his distinguished faculty team represents a significant milestone for us, enabling the OHI to contribute more actively to global One Health initiatives”, said Dr. Kotetishvili.