Project Title: Pan-Africa Network for Genomic surveillance of poverty-related diseases and emerging pathogens
Project Description: The program is a collaboration between investigators in Europe (Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland) and Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, Benin, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia, Tanzania, Namibia, Mozambique and Gabon). The team will leverage on experiences and networks to ensure the successful implementation of the program. Taken together, PANGenS brings together a unique consortium with the critical mass of multidisciplinary and transdiscjplinary expertise to achieve our objectives. Our goal is to improve the health... The program is a collaboration between investigators in Europe (Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland) and Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, Benin, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia, Tanzania, Namibia, Mozambique and Gabon). The team will leverage on experiences and networks to ensure the successful implementation of the program. Taken together, PANGenS brings together a unique consortium with the critical mass of multidisciplinary and transdiscjplinary expertise to achieve our objectives. Our goal is to improve the health of Africans with innovations in disease surveillance, equip the next generation of African scientists with cutting edge skills and strengthening south-south research collaborations. Goal and Hypotheses Our general goal is to improve the health of Africans with innovations in disease surveillance, equip the next generation of African scientists with the necessary skills, and strengthen south-south, north-south research collaborations. To pursue this goal, we will address the following hypotheses: 1. Increased capacity in genomic epidemiology will enable more effective disease surveillance in Africa. 2. Increased capacity in biobanking and genomics data management and analysis in Africa will enhance regional surveillance of infectious diseases and encourage timely and effective responses to emerging pathogens. 3. Regional whole genome sequence-based surveillance will improve DR-TB detection and inform the development of more sensitive and specific rapid diagnostics for the detection and surveillance of DR-TB in Africa and elsewhere. 4. Regional genomic surveillance of malaria parasites will inform a pre-emptive detection of emerging DR parasites and measure the impact of programmatic interventions for a data-driven decision-making by policymakers. 5. Implementation of harmonized genomic data analysis tools will allow the creation of continent-wide surveillance networks able to identify cross-border spread of DR variants and emerging pathogens. In line with the aims of the call "HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2022-CALL1-01-03: Genomic epidemiology for surveillance and control of poverW-related and emerging/re-emerging infections in sub-Saharan Africa", PANGenS aims at increasing the use of genomic epidemiology in Africa through building a sustainable network that fosters training in genomic epidemiology, establishes infrastructure as well as expertise in bioinformatic data analysis in 12 partner countries across Africa. To establish this infrastructure and expertise, we will conduct proof-of-concept projects applying genomic epidemiology to the two priority diseases in Africa: TB and malaria. We aim to use the knowledge gained to directly inform public health decision-making. Implementation will be done in close collaboration with national public health institutes (NPHIs), the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Africa PGI), the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the various national disease control programs. Via our large training and capacity-building program, we envision creating a community of practice and training pprograms as well as fellowship opportunities in genomic epidemiology, and thereby iincreasingthe literacy of genomics experts in the principles and methods of epidemiology, and of epidemiologists in the use of genomic data.
Principal Investigator : Jerry Hella
Department Name :
Time frame: (2023-07-01) - (2027-06-30)
European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 (Normal)
External Collaborating Partners
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