The Nebraska Food for Health Center, a more than $40 million initiative to improve the lives of people around the world, was launched today at the University of Nebraska.
Initial focus
The center, which is pending approval by the NU Board of Regents, will initially focus on:
- Bringing together a research team to tie gastrointestinal and biomedical research to agriculture, plant and animal breeding and genetics. In addition to University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty, the team includes faculty from UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
- Establishing a research program to develop foods with proven health benefits, particularly those that affect the human gut microbiome – the collection of all the beneficial and potentially harmful micro-organisms in the digestive system that can affect health and well-being.
- Preparing a talented workforce for careers in food health, including researchers, food and health industry leaders and food innovation entrepreneurs.
The multidisciplinary center will bring together strengths in agriculture and medicine from throughout the university system. It will help develop hybrid crops and foods to improve the quality of life of those affected by critical diseases including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancers, inflammatory bowel disease and mental disorders.
To launch the center, the Raikes Foundation of Seattle, co-founded by Nebraska native Jeff Raikes and his wife, Tricia, committed a $3 million gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation, which includes a $1 million challenge grant.
“My Nebraska family has benefited tremendously from the university’s agriculture research over the years,” Jeff Raikes said. “It’s especially meaningful for us now to support this critical effort that will further define Nebraska as an agricultural leader while bringing together for the first time agricultural production, food processing and medical research to improve the health of people in this country and around the world.”
In recognition of Jeff Raikes’ service as chief executive officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Foundation also made a $2 million gift in support of the center.
“Jeff’s leadership made a tremendous impact in our work at the Gates Foundation,” Bill Gates said. “Melinda and I are pleased to honor his contribution and personal commitment to making a significant impact in his home state.”
University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds said, “The Nebraska Food for Health Center is an example of what is possible when we put the collective strengths of our faculty to work to address critical challenges. I thank the Raikes Foundation and Gates Foundation for their vision and support, and I’m excited about the innovations that will result from this new collaborative effort.”
University funding of the center includes $19.8 million over five years and $20.5 million from private donations. The gifts from the Raikes and Gates foundations provide startup funds for equipment needs and operational priorities. Of the remaining $15.5 million needed in private donations, $12 million will provide permanently endowed support, and $3.5 million will support anticipated research space.
Andrew Benson, the W.W. Marshall Jr. Professor of Biotechnology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will direct the center.
The Food Innovation Center at Nebraska Innovation Campus will host the center’s office. No funds are required for a building, as the center’s efforts extend across the university system.