The New York Academy of Sciences Establishes The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science, Working With WHO to Formulate Nutrition Science Research Agenda

NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Academy of Sciences (the Academy) today announced the establishment of The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science via a founding gift from The Mortimer D. Sackler Foundation, Inc.  The budget for the first three years will be at least $7.5 million, supported by generous funding from The Mortimer D. Sackler Foundation, Inc. and other private and public funders, the Academy said.

The Sackler founding gift is the largest ever made to the Academy in its 193-year history and establishes The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science as a permanent institute within the Academy. Working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other leading organizations across sectors, The Sackler Institute will galvanize action on a strategic nutrition science research agenda and implement outcomes in the field.

The Institute's goals are threefold: 1) to formulate a prioritized nutrition science research agenda that is linked directly with the needs of three billion people affected by malnutrition; 2) to rally the international health and nutrition community to contribute to the further development and implementation of the agenda; and 3) via these efforts, to build capacity and improve poor nutrition in vulnerable communities.

"Prioritizing multilateral efforts, linking global experts, and translating research into action will be at the heart of The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science," said Academy President Ellis Rubinstein.  "Those benefiting from the Institute's work will include scientists and practitioners implementing evidence-based interventions to fight malnutrition, ranging from micronutrient deficiencies to obesity, worldwide."

Rubinstein said the Institute's mission will be underpinned by its working relationship with the WHO, and, separately, by a robust public-private partnership of non-profit organizations, corporations, academic institutions and government bodies.  

Additional non-profit supporters include the IDP Foundation, Inc. and the Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition, both of whose support will be primarily linked to WHO activities.

Corporate supporters include Abbott Nutrition, the Coca-Cola Company, DSM, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, PepsiCo, and Pfizer Inc.

Academic participants include Cornell University, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Wageningen University and Research Centre.

Governmental participants include The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Government of Mexico City.

Additionally, the Institute will partner with Scientists Without Borders (SWB), an initiative also housed within the Academy, which provides a web-based platform to pose open-innovation challenges responding to developing world problems.  SWB will generate and scale innovative solutions to critical nutrition challenges.

The Academy anticipates that many more partnerships will be developed between The Sackler Institute and organizations in the academic, industry, government, and non-government sectors.

"The New York Academy of Sciences has a nearly 200-year history of convening experts from across sectors and disciplines in order to build communities and spur progress.  The work of The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science, which will bring multi-sectoral nutrition experts together into an energized and focused community, is very much a part of that tradition," said Rubinstein.

The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization committed to advancing science, technology, and society worldwide since 1817. With 25,000 members in 140 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. The Academy's core mission is to advance scientific knowledge, positively impact the major global challenges of society with science-based solutions, and increase the number of scientifically informed individuals in society at large. Please see www.nyas.org.

SOURCE The New York Academy of Sciences