GloPID-R appoints new Chair and Vice Chairs to lead the network’s Board

GloPID-R is delighted to announce that Dr. Charu Kaushic has been appointed Chair of the network following the excellent work carried out by Prof. Yazdan Yazdanpanah over the past two years. Prof. Yazdanpanah will continue to serve GloPID-R as a Vice Chair.

Dr. Kaushic is Scientific Director of one of the founding members of GloPID-R, the Institute of Infection and Immunity of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). She is full Professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and has contributed actively as a Vice Chair on the GloPID-R Board since 2018.

GloPID-R will now also benefit from the expertise of two new Vice Chairs who will work alongside Sir Jeremy Farrar, Dr. Barbara Kerstiëns, and Prof. Yazdan Yazdanpanah. For the first time, the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) will be represented on the Board by Dr. Shoji Miyagawa, Director of the Division of Basic Medical Research, Department of Basic Medical Research at AMED.

Dr. Miyagawa states: “I am delighted to join the GloPID-R Board and look forward to contributing to GloPID-R activities. In this globally challenging COVID-19 pandemic, there is an enormous demand for scientific contributions and developments to satisfy unmet medical and social needs. The GloPID-R network has and will continue to demonstrate its true value in this situation.”

In addition, long-standing GloPID-R member, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) will be represented by Prof. Charles Shey Wiysonge. Prof. Wiysonge is Director of Cochrane South Africa at SAMRC, Extraordinary Professor of the Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University and Honorary Professor of the School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town.

Dr. Wiysonge comments “I am honored to join, and thrilled to be the African voice, on the GloPID-R Board. African scientists have done and can do good and rapid research on epidemic and pandemic-prone infectious diseases. GloPID-R provides a unique platform for facilitating such responsive research and ensuring inclusivity.”

The new Chair and Vice Chairs will pursue, strengthen and expand GloPID-R’s goals to support the development of research preparedness activities, to reinforce rapid response capacities and to coordinate the membership to facilitate rapid and aligned funding of research in a public health emergency.

The new GloPID-R Board’s priorities will be:

• to expand and strengthen the network’s organizational capacity and governance processes
• to continue to enhance and improve communication and coordination between members and with WHO to develop shared research agendas based on mutually identified gaps and priorities
• to continue to work on R&D coordination globally to maximize synergy and build global efficiency in the research on pandemic preparedness.

Dr. Kaushic confirms “I am honored to serve as the next Chair of GloPID-R. The role of this unique global consortium in coordinating and funding research in the area of pandemic preparedness and response has never been more vital than in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. In the last ten months, we have seen that global cooperation is critical to moving the science and research agenda forward in a coordinated manner so we can achieve our common goal to end this pandemic. I look forward to working closely with our 31 members and partners to realize the vision of GloPID-R.”

GloPID-R welcomes Dr. Kaushic, Dr. Miyagawa and Prof. Wiysonge to the Board and wishes them success in their period of office.

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