The GloPID-R Newsletter

GloPID-R Newsletter
July 2017

GloPID-R Reacts to Recent Ebola Virus Outbreak

Experience is a great teacher. The rapid response to the recent Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a good example of how preparation can change the trajectory of a virus’s effect on vulnerable populations. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) most recent Ebola Situation Report, the outbreak risk level is now under control due to the rapid deployment of response and treatment teams – a mere two months after the WHO received the first EVD report on May 11, 2017.

This epidemic occurred in a rural zone with a much lower number of susceptible individuals, which made controlling it easier. Playing just as an important role in managing this outbreak were the experiences gained and the research done from the prior EVD outbreak. This epidemic in DRC also highlights the fact that we should prepare the regulations and the logistical aspects of interventions, such as vaccinations, in the inter-epidemic period, giving us the capacity for rapid implementation.

The EVD outbreak in Western Africa was a decisive element on the road to the creation of GloPID-R. Due to its severity and surprising elements, the world’s leading research funding institutions realized the need to work together to fund the vital research necessary to enhance preparedness and response to major infectious disease outbreaks.

Since its inception, GloPID-R has mobilized around the Zika virus, including activities such as hosting the “Zika Virus Research Workshop” in Sao Paulo, Brazil in December 2016. Last May, GloPID-R members quickly assembled to assess the EVD outbreak in the DRC and the possible research needs. In this case, no further action was needed due to the work already going on in the field.

However, the world knows that a next major epidemic outbreak is inevitable. When that happens, GloPID-R will certainly be at the forefront to provide the global coordination needed in research to combat infectious diseases.

Kind Regards,
Yazdan Yazdanpanah
GloPID-R Vice Chair

Contents

GloPID-R activities
GloPID-R member activities
Other Outbreak Preparedness News
Upcoming Events

GloPID-R activities

G20 Health Ministers Meeting

GloPID-R was recognized for its work in research and development (R&D) preparedness at the G20 Health Ministers Meeting in Berlin, Germany on May 19 – 20, 2017.

Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is pleased to announce the nomination of its two new members, Professors Jodie McVernon and Vinh-Kim Nguyen. The addition of these members rounds out the SAB panel competencies bringing with them an expertise in epidemiology, modeling, and social sciences.

Data Sharing Working Group

In the coming months, the Data Sharing Working Group will be prioritizing work to align funder policies and conditions to mandate research data sharing in public health emergencies.

Clinical Trials Network Working Group (CTN WG)

Following the Zika research workshop in Sao Paulo in December 2016, during which different clinical trial networks funded by GloPID-R members were presented, some momentum was gained for promoting further collaboration between these networks. Just a few months later, the GloPID-R General Assembly of March 2017 approved the establishment of a working group on clinical trial networks (CTN WG).

Yellow Fever

The Yellow Fever Working Group recently met to discuss the latest fractional dosing data with presentations by Dr. Erin Staples, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Aitana Juan, MSF, on June 7, 2017.

NEW Webinars Available

Two new webinars on PREPARE’s work, which maps ethical, administrative, regulatory and logistical (EARL) barriers and solutions, and REACTing’s approach to adding social science into clinical trials are now available on the GloPID-R website.

GloPID-R member activities

European Commission

Workshop on Vaccination

Seeking new partnerships for EU action on vaccination

The workshop was organized by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Food Safety, and explored how cooperation at EU level can increase vaccine coverage, address shortages and strengthen routine immunization programs.

Workshop on Universal Influenza Vaccines

Four years of European research on the development of universal influenza vaccines: what have we learnt and how can we move forward?

In 2013, the European Commission funded five consortia (EDUFLUVAC, FLUNIVAC, FLUTCORE, UNISEC and UNIVAX) with total funding of €25.5 million. The aim of these consortia was to develop influenza vaccines that protect the general population from both seasonal and pandemic influenza.

Ministry of Health, Italy - EMERGE Consortium

Highly infectious diseases can spread rapidly across borders through travel or trade, and international coordination through networks like GloPID-R is essential to a prompt and efficient response by public health laboratories. Therefore, identifying resource allocation priorities for research and surveillance has been the focus of a large body of research in recent years.

Funding Calls

Funder: The Antimicrobial Resistance Ring-Fenced Initiative with strategic leadership from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) and the Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH)

Topic: Catalyst Grant: Global Governance of Antimicrobial Resistance and Related Infectious Disease Threats
Budget: $600,000, enough to fund approximately 6 grants of up to $100,000 each for up to 1 year
Deadline: October 17, 2017

Upcoming Events

2nd International Meeting on Arboviruses and their Vectors
IMAV 2017 – Microbiology Society, Glasgow, UK, 7-8 September 2017

American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) 66th Annual Meeting
Baltimore, USA, 5-9 November 2017

Registration >

GloPID-R is a network of research funding organizations in the area of infectious disease preparedness research.

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