WHO will allocate almost 2 million euros to improve genomic surveillance of pathogens

World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners announced 10 projects that will receive almost 2 million euros in subsidies improve genomic surveillance capabilities for pathogens.

The Catalytic Grant Fund was created International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) help partners in low- and middle-income countries develop their capabilities in genomic analysis of pathogens. This technology analyzes the genetic code of viruses, bacteria and other organisms pathogens so that, together with other data, we understand how easily they spread and what diseases they cause in people. This data allows scientists and public health teams to track and respond to infectious disease threats, support the development of vaccines and treatments, and enable countries to make decisions faster.

The fund, hosted by the United Nations Foundation and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and Wellcome, “has incredible potential to expand genomic surveillance of pathogens across the board, which we are already seeing in the first round of grants.” “, he said. Sarah HerseyDirector of the Joint Intelligence Unit at the WHO Center for Pandemic and Epidemic Research. “We are committed to supporting this work, which plays key role in preventing pandemics and epidemics all over the world,” he added.

For my part, Manisha BhingeVice President of the Rockefeller Foundation Health Initiative, stated that “recipients of the IPSN Catalytic Grant Fund will help realize the benefits of genomic surveillance of pathogens in low- and middle-income countries, as well as explore new applications for genomic surveillance, such as wastewater surveillance. “Pandemics and epidemics continue to be a global threat. further exacerbated by climate change. There is an urgent need for fair access to these tools and capabilities to protect the lives of vulnerable communities,” he said.

Surveillance and dissemination

One of the beneficiaries, the American University of Beirut, will use wastewater monitoring study how diseases spread among refugees, which will help ensure people can quickly get the care and support they need while migrating. Another beneficiary, the Pasteur Institute in Laos, will use the funding to develop new methods for monitoring avian influenza in live poultry markets, an often overlooked but vital environment for millions of people around the world.

“If we are to protect vulnerable populations from the devastating effects of disease, we must first better understand how they spread, develop and cause disease these pathogens. These projects, developed in each country and tailored to local priorities, will provide new knowledge and evidence that will help track global pathogen trends and inform science-based decisions to implement effective interventions,” he said. Titus DiwalaInterim Director of Epidemic and Epidemiology at Wellcome.

In the case of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, it will use the funds to develop an open source bioinformatics tool which can be used to perform offline analysis. This tool will be piloted in Latin America and has the potential to be used worldwide, especially in resource-limited countries.

“SARS-CoV-2 and subsequent regional outbreaks have highlighted the importance of access to genomic surveillance tools in all countries. IPSN’s catalytic investment will generate innovative data and methods to support much-needed expansion in low- and middle-income countries,” he said. Simon Harrisfrom the Gates Foundation.