About the Sustaining Health Zone

Wheat harvest Image source: Wikipedia

An growing population, decreasing land area, and the effects of climate change mean sustainable food production is a real challenge. It’s not just about procuring the world with enough calories, but making sure that everyone is receiving the correct nutrients for a healthy and balanced diet.

The Sustaining Health Zone follows Wellcome Trust Sustaining Health funding scheme. The five scientists in this zone are working in environment, nutrition and health to figure out how our planet can healthily sustain nine billion people by 2050.

In this zone, there is a scientist analysing why plants bloom in a certain time of the year, and another one creating new, more nutritious varieties of wheat. There is one scientist finding out how some bacteria in food stick to the inside of our guts and grow, another one studying how climate change affects ecosystems, and another one using UV light to blast bacteria and make water safe to drink.