| Med-Vet-Net |
|
Med-Vet-Net is an EU-funded network
of excellence involving veterinary and
medical scientists from all over Europe.
It focuses primarily on zoonoses of
food-producing animals and whilst VLA
is involved in all the scientific activities
of Med-Vet-Net, it has taken a leading
role in work on Lyssaviruses and
Campylobacter virulence. A new
standardised in vitro virulence test has
been developed enabling comparable
data to be generated throughout
Europe. Data has been collated and
now forms the first step towards
understanding the mechanisms of
virulence in Campylobacter. |
| CoVetLabs |
| CoVetLabs is a European
communication and collaboration
network between laboratories in
France, The Netherlands, Sweden and
Denmark. Its aim is to advance high
quality veterinary science and enlarge
scientific capabilities by disseminating
knowledge, sharing experiences and
transferring skills and technology. VLA
is currently working on how the
network shares validation data
approaches, standards for tests, quality
systems and laboratory automation
particularly for molecular diagnostics. |
| EPIZONE |
Epizootic Disease Diagnosis and
Control.
EPIZONE is one of the largest
international network of scientific
excellence focused on animal diseases.
It brings together 18 scientific
institutions from around the world and
aims to improve international
cooperation, including the fight against
high profile diseases such as foot-and-mouth
disease, avian influenza and
classical swine fever. |
| VenoMyc |
| The network is made up of 37 partners
from 17 countries and aims to develop
a multidisciplinary European network of
laboratories conducting research on
mycobacterial diseases of veterinary
interest, with a view to translating
research results into EU policy. Specific
focus will be on methods for
diagnosing (para) tuberculosis disease
agents, immunology-based disease
diagnosis, molecular typing of
mycobacteria isolates, vaccination,
public health issues and genomics to
distinguish species and identify
pathogenicity determinants.
The network also aims to contribute
towards policy issues including support
for the competitiveness of the EU meat
and dairy industries, implementing a
new diagnostic test (the gammainterferon
assay) recently authorised by
the Commission and supporting
eradication campaigns. In addition
preliminary work paving the way for the
development of vaccines for improved
prevention and control will also be
undertaken. |
| NeuroPrion |
| NeuroPrion a strong research force
composed of the majority of prion
scientists in Europe working on the
prevention, control, treatment,
management and risk analysis of Prion
diseases. It unites the knowledge of
prion experts from 52 research
institutions distributed amongst 20
countries and recognises the strengths
of each of its members. This should
reduce the fragmentation and
duplication of prion research in Europe. |
| Flu-Lab-Net |
| VLA is leading this new EU-funded
project, which aims to share and
exchange methodological, virological,
genetic, epidemiological and clinical
information on influenza. The network
will present up-to-date, quality
information on influenza activities for
policy makers, professionals and the
public. It will also encourage the
identification of duplicate areas of work
including surveillance and research
projects at a European level. |
| OFFLU |
| The OIE and FAO created and endorsed
a joint network of expertise on Avian
Influenza for the benefit of Member
Countries. The objectives of OFFLU are
to exchange scientific data and
biological materials (including virus
strains) within the network and to
share such information with the wider
scientific community. It will also offer
technical advice and veterinary
expertise to Member Countries to
assist in the diagnosis, surveillance
and control of avian influenza,
collaborate with the WHO influenza
network on issues relating to the
animal-human interface and highlight
avian influenza research needs,
promote their development and ensure
co-ordination. |
| Interlab Forum |
The Interlab Forum is a recent
collaborative agreement between six
UK Public Sector Research
Establishments (PSREs) from across
Government. The agreement promotes
knowledge sharing across the PSREs
including emergency response and
disease control. It brings together the
expertise of over 9,000 scientists,
technologists and engineers. It aims to
use their complementary skills and
resources to enhance the
Government’s effectiveness through the
sharing of best practice and
collaboration on strategic activities and
projects. The immediate areas for
consideration include:
- emergency response
- modelling and simulation of disease control
- detection, decontamination and remediation
- animal health research facilities.
|
| InterAct |
|
A unique partnership between VLA and
three other leading UK Government
research organisations. It offers the
opportunity for companies, with
interests in acquiring new technologies
to collaborate with research scientists.
These technologies can include the
development of novel vaccines and
methods of delivery for human and
animal health, new detection methods
for improving food safety and
probiotics for human and animal
health. |
| National Centre for Zoonosis Research |
| The National Centre for Zoonosis
Research aims to achieve a better
understanding of zoonoses by bringing
together infectious disease specialists,
epidemiologists, veterinary scientists,
ecologists, mathematicians and
statisticians, with molecular- and
micro- biologists - all these disciplines
working together to produce a gene-topopulation
understanding of the
diseases. |
| Thematic network on bovine virus diarrhoea (BVDV) control |
| The bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV)
infections cause large annual economic
losses to the European cattle industry
and also has a negative impact on
animal welfare. An increasing number
of regions in Europe are planning
control programmes and the network
will gather European specialists,
Identify vital gaps in our knowledge,
provide guidelines for future
evolvement, support policy makers and
coordinate ongoing and future
research. |
| VLA / HPA Collaboration |
| A wide range of both formal and
informal joint activities exist between
the two organisations and both parties
are committed to promoting an
integrated approach to disease
surveillance. An Agreement was first
signed as long ago as 2000 and has
been revised and updated as required.
It covers a broad range of virological
zoonoses, food borne and non food borne
diseases including West Nile
fever, avian influenza, rabies,
Cryptosporidiosis, Salmonellosis, E.coli,
Brucella and leptospirosis. |
