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Bartlow AW, Middlebrook EA, Dichosa AEK, Kayiwa J, Nassuna CA, Kiggundu G, Fair JM. Ongoing Cooperative Engagement Facilitates Agile Pandemic and Outbreak Response: Lessons Learned Through Cooperative Engagement Between Uganda and the United States. Health Secur 2024. [PMID: 38407830 DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogens threaten human lives and disrupt economies around the world. This has been clearly illustrated by the current COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks in livestock and food crops. To manage pathogen emergence and spread, cooperative engagement programs develop and strengthen biosafety, biosecurity, and biosurveillance capabilities among local researchers to detect pathogens. In this case study, we describe the efforts of a collaboration between the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Uganda Virus Research Institute, the primary viral diagnostic laboratory in Uganda, to implement and ensure the sustainability of sequencing for biosurveillance. We describe the process of establishing this capability along with the lessons learned from both sides of the partnership to inform future cooperative engagement efforts in low- and middle-income countries. We found that by strengthening sequencing capabilities at the Uganda Virus Research Institute before the COVID-19 pandemic, the institute was able to successfully sequence SARS-CoV-2 samples and provide data to the scientific community. We highlight the need to strengthen and sustain capabilities through in-country training, collaborative research projects, and trust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew W Bartlow
- Andrew W. Bartlow, PhD, is Scientists, Genomics and Bioanalytics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
| | - Earl A Middlebrook
- Earl A. Middlebrook, PhD, is Scientists, Genomics and Bioanalytics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
| | - Armand E K Dichosa
- Armand E. K. Dichosa, PhD, is Scientists, Genomics and Bioanalytics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
| | - John Kayiwa
- John Kayiwa, PhD, is a Senior Laboratory Manager, Department of Arbovirology, Emerging and Re-emerging Viral Diseases, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Charity A Nassuna
- Charity A. Nassuna is Laboratory Technologists, Department of Arbovirology, Emerging and Re-emerging Viral Diseases, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Gladys Kiggundu
- Gladys Kiggundu is Laboratory Technologists, Department of Arbovirology, Emerging and Re-emerging Viral Diseases, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Jeanne M Fair
- Jeanne M. Fair, PhD, is Scientists, Genomics and Bioanalytics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
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Fair JM, Al-Hmoud N, Alrwashdeh M, Bartlow AW, Balkhamishvili S, Daraselia I, Elshoff A, Fakhouri L, Javakhishvili Z, Khoury F, Muzyka D, Ninua L, Tsao J, Urushadze L, Owen J. Transboundary determinants of avian zoonotic infectious diseases: challenges for strengthening research capacity and connecting surveillance networks. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1341842. [PMID: 38435695 PMCID: PMC10907996 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1341842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
As the climate changes, global systems have become increasingly unstable and unpredictable. This is particularly true for many disease systems, including subtypes of highly pathogenic avian influenzas (HPAIs) that are circulating the world. Ecological patterns once thought stable are changing, bringing new populations and organisms into contact with one another. Wild birds continue to be hosts and reservoirs for numerous zoonotic pathogens, and strains of HPAI and other pathogens have been introduced into new regions via migrating birds and transboundary trade of wild birds. With these expanding environmental changes, it is even more crucial that regions or counties that previously did not have surveillance programs develop the appropriate skills to sample wild birds and add to the understanding of pathogens in migratory and breeding birds through research. For example, little is known about wild bird infectious diseases and migration along the Mediterranean and Black Sea Flyway (MBSF), which connects Europe, Asia, and Africa. Focusing on avian influenza and the microbiome in migratory wild birds along the MBSF, this project seeks to understand the determinants of transboundary disease propagation and coinfection in regions that are connected by this flyway. Through the creation of a threat reduction network for avian diseases (Avian Zoonotic Disease Network, AZDN) in three countries along the MBSF (Georgia, Ukraine, and Jordan), this project is strengthening capacities for disease diagnostics; microbiomes; ecoimmunology; field biosafety; proper wildlife capture and handling; experimental design; statistical analysis; and vector sampling and biology. Here, we cover what is required to build a wild bird infectious disease research and surveillance program, which includes learning skills in proper bird capture and handling; biosafety and biosecurity; permits; next generation sequencing; leading-edge bioinformatics and statistical analyses; and vector and environmental sampling. Creating connected networks for avian influenzas and other pathogen surveillance will increase coordination and strengthen biosurveillance globally in wild birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne M. Fair
- Genomics and Bioanalytics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Nisreen Al-Hmoud
- Bio-Safety and Bio-Security Center, Royal Scientific Society, Amman, Jordan
| | - Mu’men Alrwashdeh
- Bio-Safety and Bio-Security Center, Royal Scientific Society, Amman, Jordan
| | - Andrew W. Bartlow
- Genomics and Bioanalytics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | | | - Ivane Daraselia
- Center of Wildlife Disease Ecology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | | | - Zura Javakhishvili
- Center of Wildlife Disease Ecology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Fares Khoury
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, American University of Madaba, Madaba, Jordan
| | - Denys Muzyka
- National Scientific Center, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Jean Tsao
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Lela Urushadze
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Jennifer Owen
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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Yeh KB, Parekh FK, Mombo I, Leimer J, Hewson R, Olinger G, Fair JM, Sun Y, Hay J. Climate change and infectious disease: A prologue on multidisciplinary cooperation and predictive analytics. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1018293. [PMID: 36741948 PMCID: PMC9895942 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1018293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change impacts global ecosystems at the interface of infectious disease agents and hosts and vectors for animals, humans, and plants. The climate is changing, and the impacts are complex, with multifaceted effects. In addition to connecting climate change and infectious diseases, we aim to draw attention to the challenges of working across multiple disciplines. Doing this requires concentrated efforts in a variety of areas to advance the technological state of the art and at the same time implement ideas and explain to the everyday citizen what is happening. The world's experience with COVID-19 has revealed many gaps in our past approaches to anticipating emerging infectious diseases. Most approaches to predicting outbreaks and identifying emerging microbes of major consequence have been with those causing high morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. These lagging indicators offer limited ability to prevent disease spillover and amplifications in new hosts. Leading indicators and novel approaches are more valuable and now feasible, with multidisciplinary approaches also within our grasp to provide links to disease predictions through holistic monitoring of micro and macro ecological changes. In this commentary, we describe niches for climate change and infectious diseases as well as overarching themes for the important role of collaborative team science, predictive analytics, and biosecurity. With a multidisciplinary cooperative "all call," we can enhance our ability to engage and resolve current and emerging problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Illich Mombo
- CIRMF, Franceville, Gabon, Central African Republic
| | | | - Roger Hewson
- UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury, United Kingdom
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jeanne M. Fair
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Yijun Sun
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - John Hay
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, United States
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Yeh KB, Tabynov K, Parekh FK, Maltseva E, Skiba Y, Shapiyeva Z, Sansyzbai A, Frey S, Essbauer S, Hewson R, Richards AL, Hay J. Building Scientific Capability and Reducing Biological Threats: The Effect of Three Cooperative Bio-Research Programs in Kazakhstan. Front Public Health 2021; 9:683192. [PMID: 34712634 PMCID: PMC8545806 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.683192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperative research programs aimed at reducing biological threats have increased scientific capabilities and capacities in Kazakhstan. The German Federal Foreign Office's German Biosecurity Programme, the United Kingdom's International Biological Security Programme and the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Biological Threat Reduction Program provide funding for partner countries, like Kazakhstan. The mutual goals of the programs are to reduce biological threats and enhance global health security. Our investigation examined these cooperative research programs, summarizing major impacts they have made, as well as common successes and challenges. By mapping various projects across the three programs, research networks are highlighted which demonstrate best communication practices to share results and reinforce conclusions. Our team performed a survey to collect results from Kazakhstani partner scientists on their experiences that help gain insights into enhancing day-to-day approaches to conducting cooperative scientific research. This analysis will serve as a basis for a capability maturity model as used in industry, and in addition builds synergy for future collaborations that will be essential for quality and sustainment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kairat Tabynov
- International Center for Vaccinology, Kazakh National Agrarian University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Elina Maltseva
- Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology at Central Reference Laboratory, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Yuriy Skiba
- Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology at Central Reference Laboratory, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Zhanna Shapiyeva
- Scientific Practical Center for Sanitary Epidemiological Expertise and Monitoring, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Ablay Sansyzbai
- International Center for Vaccinology, Kazakh National Agrarian University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Stefan Frey
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany.,Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologies and Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) Protection, Munster, Germany
| | | | - Roger Hewson
- Public Health England, Salisbury, United Kingdom.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - John Hay
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, United States
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Yeh KB, Parekh FK, Tabynov K, Tabynov K, Hewson R, Fair JM, Essbauer S, Hay J. Operationalizing Cooperative Research for Infectious Disease Surveillance: Lessons Learned and Ways Forward. Front Public Health 2021; 9:659695. [PMID: 34568249 PMCID: PMC8460863 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.659695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the need for urgent and on-demand solutions to provide diagnostics, treatment and preventative measures for infectious disease outbreaks. Once solutions are developed, meeting capacities depends on the ability to mitigate technical, logistical and production issues. While it is difficult to predict the next outbreak, augmenting investments in preparedness, such as infectious disease surveillance, is far more effective than mustering last-minute response funds. Bringing research outputs into practice sooner rather than later is part of an agile approach to pivot and deliver solutions. Cooperative multi- country research programs, especially those funded by global biosecurity programs, develop capacity that can be applied to infectious disease surveillance and research that enhances detection, identification, and response to emerging and re-emerging pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential. Moreover, these programs enhance trust building among partners, which is essential because setting expectation and commitment are required for successful research and training. Measuring research outputs, evaluating outcomes and justifying continual investments are essential but not straightforward. Lessons learned include those related to reducing biological threats and maturing capabilities for national laboratory diagnostics strategy and related health systems. Challenges, such as growing networks, promoting scientific transparency, data and material sharing, sustaining funds and developing research strategies remain to be fully resolved. Here, experiences from several programs highlight successful partnerships that provide ways forward to address the next outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kairat Tabynov
- International Center for Vaccinology, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Kaissar Tabynov
- International Center for Vaccinology, Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Roger Hewson
- Public Health England, Salisbury, United Kingdom.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jeanne M Fair
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | | | - John Hay
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, United States
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Kharaishvili N, Blake JW, Gorsline DH, Brooks LR. Global Health Security Capacity and Capability Measurement Framework Within the Biological Threat Reduction Program. Health Secur 2021; 19:163-172. [PMID: 33784478 PMCID: PMC8060709 DOI: 10.1089/hs.2020.0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Biological Threat Reduction Program, part of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program since 1991, is mandated by the US Congress to regularly provide public reporting as part of its accountability. The Biological Threat Reduction Program recently designed a metrics and evaluation framework to measure its impact and effectiveness in partner countries. The framework focuses on capacity and capability strengthening related to biosafety, biosecurity, and biosurveillance. This is a marked shift from the previous approach, which relied on more tangible outcomes such as the elimination of weapons of mass destruction production assets, delivery devices, munitions, and construction activities. The new metrics and evaluation framework tracks the program's impact across 24 biosafety, biosecurity, and biosurveillance metrics and numerous capability, capacity, sustainability, and regional leadership indicators for human and animal health systems. The framework uses quantitative and qualitative inputs to generate measurement scores for program investment in partner countries. Overall, the framework provides a robust feedback loop between requirements, plans, and implementation processes throughout each step of the program's annual management lifecycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nino Kharaishvili
- Nino Kharaishvili, MD, MBA, is Director, Global Health Solutions, Jacobs, Arlington, VA. Jane W. Blake, MS, is Lead Associate, Global Defense Group, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lorton, VA. Douglas H. Gorsline, MA, is Division Chief for INDOPACOM, Biological Threat Reduction Program, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Department of Defense, Fort Belvoir, VA. Lance R. Brooks is Chief, Wide Area and Infrastructure Decontamination Branch, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park. NC
| | - Jane W Blake
- Nino Kharaishvili, MD, MBA, is Director, Global Health Solutions, Jacobs, Arlington, VA. Jane W. Blake, MS, is Lead Associate, Global Defense Group, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lorton, VA. Douglas H. Gorsline, MA, is Division Chief for INDOPACOM, Biological Threat Reduction Program, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Department of Defense, Fort Belvoir, VA. Lance R. Brooks is Chief, Wide Area and Infrastructure Decontamination Branch, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park. NC
| | - Douglas H Gorsline
- Nino Kharaishvili, MD, MBA, is Director, Global Health Solutions, Jacobs, Arlington, VA. Jane W. Blake, MS, is Lead Associate, Global Defense Group, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lorton, VA. Douglas H. Gorsline, MA, is Division Chief for INDOPACOM, Biological Threat Reduction Program, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Department of Defense, Fort Belvoir, VA. Lance R. Brooks is Chief, Wide Area and Infrastructure Decontamination Branch, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park. NC
| | - Lance R Brooks
- Nino Kharaishvili, MD, MBA, is Director, Global Health Solutions, Jacobs, Arlington, VA. Jane W. Blake, MS, is Lead Associate, Global Defense Group, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lorton, VA. Douglas H. Gorsline, MA, is Division Chief for INDOPACOM, Biological Threat Reduction Program, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Department of Defense, Fort Belvoir, VA. Lance R. Brooks is Chief, Wide Area and Infrastructure Decontamination Branch, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park. NC
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Ambrosiano J, Sims B, Bartlow AW, Rosenberger W, Ressler M, Fair JM. Ontology-Based Graphs of Research Communities: A Tool for Understanding Threat Reduction Networks. Front Res Metr Anal 2020; 5:3. [PMID: 33870041 PMCID: PMC8028387 DOI: 10.3389/frma.2020.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientific research communities can be represented as heterogeneous or multidimensional networks encompassing multiple types of entities and relationships. These networks might include researchers, institutions, meetings, and publications, connected by relationships like authorship, employment, and attendance. We describe a method for efficiently and flexibly capturing, storing, and extracting information from multidimensional scientific networks using a graph database. The database structure is based on an ontology that captures allowable types of entities and relationships. This allows us to construct a variety of projections of the underlying multidimensional graph through database queries to answer specific research questions. We demonstrate this process through a study of the U.S. Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP), which seeks to develop Threat Reduction Networks to build and strengthen a sustainable international community of biosecurity, biosafety, and biosurveillance experts to address shared biological threat reduction challenges. Networks like these create connectional intelligence among researchers and institutions around the world, and are central to the concept of cooperative threat reduction. Our analysis focuses on a series of seven BTRP genome sequencing training workshops, showing how they created a growing network of participants and countries over time, which is also reflected in coauthorship relationships among attendees. By capturing concept and relationship hierarchies, our ontology-based approach allows us to pose general or specific questions about networks within the same framework. This approach can be applied to other research communities or multidimensional social networks to capture, analyze, and visualize different types of interactions and how they change over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Ambrosiano
- Information Systems and Modeling, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Benjamin Sims
- Statistical Sciences, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Andrew W Bartlow
- Biosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - William Rosenberger
- Information Systems and Modeling, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Mark Ressler
- Information Systems and Modeling, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Jeanne M Fair
- Biosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
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VanderZanden A, Langlois EV, Ghaffar A, Bitton A, Fifield J, Hirschhorn LR. It takes a community: a landscape analysis of global health research consortia. BMJ Glob Health 2019; 4:e001450. [PMID: 31478019 PMCID: PMC6703292 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increased recognition of the core role of effective primary healthcare has identified large gaps in the knowledge of components of high-quality primary healthcare systems and the need for resources positioned to better understand them. Research consortia are an effective approach to generate evidence needed to address knowledge and evidence gaps and accelerate change. However, the optimal design of consortia and guidance on design decisions is not well studied. We report on a landscape analysis to understand global health research consortium models and major design decisions that inform model choice. METHODS We conducted a landscape analysis to identify health-related research consortia typologies and explore decision processes leading to their design and implementation. We identified and reviewed 195 research consortia, extracted data on organisation, characteristics and operations for 115 and conducted 14 key informant interviews representing 13 consortia. We analysed interviews using thematic content analysis using results to develop categories of major design choices and research consortia models, structures and processes. RESULTS Across a wide range of research consortia, the structure and function were determined by nine key design decisions that were mapped to three domains: scope: including mission and area of focus; organisational structure: including role and location of the core entity, choice of leader, governance and membership eligibility and responsibility; and funding decisions: including the funding source for research consortia operations and the funding sources and process for consortium research. DISCUSSION Research consortia showed important heterogeneity across the nine decision points studied and based on their goals, needs and resources. These decisions and the three emerging domains (scope, organisation and funding) offer a potential framework for new research consortia and inform the design of a proposed primary health care research consortium intended to accelerate research to improve primary health care in LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia VanderZanden
- Ariadne Labs, Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Etienne V Langlois
- Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Abdul Ghaffar
- Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Asaf Bitton
- Ariadne Labs, Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of General Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jocelyn Fifield
- Ariadne Labs, Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lisa R Hirschhorn
- Ariadne Labs, Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Achieving Health Security and Threat Reduction through Sharing Sequence Data. Trop Med Infect Dis 2019; 4:tropicalmed4020078. [PMID: 31091687 PMCID: PMC6631123 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed4020078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Revised: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
With the rapid development and broad applications of next-generation sequencing platforms and bioinformatic analytical tools, genomics has become a popular area for biosurveillance and international scientific collaboration. Governments from countries including the United States (US), Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom have leveraged these advancements to support international cooperative programs that aim to reduce biological threats and build scientific capacity worldwide. A recent conference panel addressed the impacts of the enhancement of genomic sequencing capabilities through three major US bioengagement programs on international scientific engagement and biosecurity risk reduction. The panel contrasted the risks and benefits of supporting the enhancement of genomic sequencing capabilities through international scientific engagement to achieve biological threat reduction and global health security. The lower costs and new bioinformatic tools available have led to the greater application of sequencing to biosurveillance. Strengthening sequencing capabilities globally for the diagnosis and detection of infectious diseases through mutual collaborations has a high return on investment for increasing global health security. International collaborations based on genomics and shared sequence data can build and leverage scientific networks and improve the timeliness and accuracy of disease surveillance reporting needed to identify and mitigate infectious disease outbreaks and comply with international norms. Further efforts to promote scientific transparency within international collaboration will improve trust, reduce threats, and promote global health security.
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Phelps KL, Hamel L, Alhmoud N, Ali S, Bilgin R, Sidamonidze K, Urushadze L, Karesh W, Olival KJ. Bat Research Networks and Viral Surveillance: Gaps and Opportunities in Western Asia. Viruses 2019; 11:v11030240. [PMID: 30857374 PMCID: PMC6466127 DOI: 10.3390/v11030240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bat research networks and viral surveillance are assumed to be at odds due to seemingly conflicting research priorities. Yet human threats that contribute to declines in bat populations globally also lead to increased transmission and spread of bat-associated viruses, which may pose a threat to global health and food security. In this review, we discuss the importance of and opportunities for multidisciplinary collaborations between bat research networks and infectious disease experts to tackle shared threats that jeopardize bat conservation as well as human and animal health. Moreover, we assess research effort on bats and bat-associated viruses globally, and demonstrate that Western Asia has limited published research and represents a gap for coordinated bat research. The lack of bat research in Western Asia severely limits our capacity to identify and mitigate region-specific threats to bat populations and detect interactions between bats and incidental hosts that promote virus spillover. We detail a regional initiative to establish the first bat research network in Western Asia (i.e., the Western Asia Bat Research Network, WAB-Net), with the aim of integrating ecological research on bats with virus surveillance to find “win-win” solutions that promote bat conservation and safeguard public and animal health across the region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luke Hamel
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY 10001, USA.
| | - Nisreen Alhmoud
- Biosafety and Biosecurity Center, Royal Scientific Society, 11941 Amman, Jordan.
| | - Shahzad Ali
- Department of Wildlife & Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
| | - Rasit Bilgin
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Boğaziçi University, 34342 Istanbul, Turkey.
| | | | - Lela Urushadze
- National Center for Disease Control & Public Health, 0198 Tbilisi, Georgia.
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Franz DR, Nasim A. Responsible Life Science Research: The Pakistani Leadership Model. Health Secur 2018; 16:79-81. [PMID: 29376758 DOI: 10.1089/hs.2018.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Yeh KB, Adams ML, Marshall ES, Dasgupta D, Zhunushov A, Richards AL, Hay J. Applying a Capability Maturity Model (CMM) to evaluate global health security-related research programmes in under-resourced areas. GLOBAL SECURITY: HEALTH, SCIENCE AND POLICY 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2017.1279022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Edith S. Marshall
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | | | - Asankadyr Zhunushov
- Institute for Biotechnology, Biology and Soil and Physiology, Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | | | - John Hay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Brown C, Franz DR. Making foreign engagements sustainable: it's personal. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2016; 249:596-7. [PMID: 27585095 DOI: 10.2460/javma.249.6.596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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