Dr Vincent Lal is a Manager Analytical Services at the University of the South Pacific, Institute of Applied Sciences. He received his PhD from the University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia) and graduate degrees (MSc in Analytical Chemistry) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Chemistry from the University of the South Pacific (Suva, Fiji). Vincent’s research focuses on human health risk assessment, Pacific Islands Foods Composition and more recently on contaminants in Foods and on issues around antimicrobial resistance. He works closely with governments in Pacific Island Countries as well as regional (Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and Pacific Community) and UN agencies (World Health Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organisation and the United Nations Development Programme) on the development of monitoring strategies for the protection of human and environmental health in Pacific Island Countries. Over the last 12 years, Dr Lal has established local and regional networks in the Pacific Island Region for monitoring contaminants in the environment as well as investigating nutritional value of foods imported, grown and produced in PIR. He is also involved in capacity building and development related projects in the region. Dr Lal was awarded the Greg Urwin Pacific Leadership Award by the Australian Government to further his research on human health issues relevant to Pacific Communities.