Scientific Collaboration
Since its inception ILSI has satisfied the need for collaboration on science, often when collaboration is difficult. It brings competitors to the same table, where they put aside their proprietary interests to work on scientific issues that have impact beyond their bottom lines. ILSI assembles leading academic and government researchers who partner with their industry counterparts. Together they anticipate scientific questions; characterize how these issues may impact public health and safety; summarize existing knowledge and outline what we don’t know; and use science to solve real world problems.
These shared efforts improve the decision-making process. Often “decision-makers” and “decision-making” has meant scientists and non-scientists alike, and their work to harmonize health and regulatory policies at the local, national, and international levels. ILSI’s outputs assist these individuals in better serving their publics by delivering balanced information without hype or propaganda. But ILSI helps achieve more than making sure regulations are supported with the best science available.
It exposes us to the interests and concerns of decision-makers in the broadest sense of the term: government regulators; product developers and those responsible for quality control and safety; academic leaders who manage large-scale research projects; health professionals who deal directly with the public; and science communicators. This collective exchange of ideas on issues that are of mutual interest makes scientific decisions, whereever they occur, better.
Diverse Portfolio
ILSI raises and responds to scientific questions in nutrition, food safety, toxicology, risk assessment, and the environment. ILSI has identified four broadly defined topics that are important across the globe, listed below. "Activity Diagrams" have been created for each topic to help demonstrate the breadth and depth of ILSI's work in each area across its international network.
Activity Diagrams (click to explore a diagram)