Scientific objectives and research project

To this extent, Mexico has an extraordinarily important role to play. This emerging economy clearly suffers from ecosystem alteration (especially agriculture and deforestation), large economic and social inequalities, as well as and pathogen spreading (as the epicenter of the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemics, the recent circulation of Zika virus and recurrent outbreaks of dengue). Nevertheless, this country has the capacity and willingness to implement scientifically-based solutions on the field thanks to much respected institutions such as the federal university (UNAM) and the public health agency (INSP). Moreover, his example can disseminate throughout the whole region, and especially to the vulnerable populations as well as to the countries with the highest poverty rates (such as Guatemala and Haiti). The proposed international laboratory (LMI) ELDORADO, which will be based in Mexico City and working in the Yucatan peninsula, aims consolidating existing multidisciplinary research projects of an international group of scientists proposing a novel and integrated research strategy to figure out this complex system through four main objectives: 1 - improving our knowledge on the relationship between ecosystem alteration, human behavior and risk of emerging zoonotic infections, 2 - providing scientifically-based and integrative strategies for public health and environmental authorities combining human health, biodiversity conservation and economic growth through a format of sustainable development toolkit, 3 - setting up a strong regional capacity building strategy to make Mexico a regional and world leader on these issues through the collaboration with the IRD and (iv) initiating the creation of a new center on the UNAM campus in Merida focusing on fundamental and translational research of sustainable sciences.

IRD units involved

2R22400 : MIVEGEC

Member Institutions

WCS Etats-Unis : Wildlife Conservation Society

Kalaankab : Asociacion mexicana de medicina de la conservacion Kalaan-Kab

INSP : Instituto nacional de salud publica

INAH : Instituto nacional de antropología e historia

EHA : EcoHealth Alliance

INUQUA : Institut universitaire de Quisqueya-Amérique

UNAM : Universidad nacional autonoma de Mexico

Bearer LMI

M. x M. x M. x

Research topics

The LMI project will address key gaps and needs expressed by biodiversity, ecosystem modifications and sustainable development policy makers, and will provide tangible approaches to promote healthy populations and ecosystems as well as social wealth. More specifically, it will aim to determine how strategies of sustainable agriculture can mitigate the risk of viral outbreaks in human populations while doing biodiversity conservation without imposing an economic burden on social wealth.

Targeted Sustainable Development Goal(s)

ODD03 - BONNE SANTE ET BIEN-ETRE

ODD06 - EAU PROPRE ET ASSAINISSEMENT

ODD10 - INEGALITES REDUITES

ODD14 - VIE AQUATIQUE

ODD17 - PARTENARIATS POUR LA REALISATION DES OBJECTIFS