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Work packages
Work package 1. Molecular Epidemiology & Clinical Microbiology
IP-Cambodia, IP-Ho Chi Minh City, IP-New Caledonia, IP-Nha Trang, National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology Laos, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology Vietnam
The main goals of WP1 are:
- To standardize the techniques for the diagnosis of pneumonia, particularly bacterial pneumonia, and emerging viral infections including H5N1;
- To develop a network of sentinel laboratories, in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, and strengthen collaborations for surveillance;
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To identify and characterize new emerging viruses and their circulation;
To define the risk factors for emergence and transmission;
To investigate outbreaks.
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Work package 2. Development of Diagnostic Tools
All centers involved
The main goals of WP2 are:
- The standardization of molecular diagnosis for respiratory bacteria and viruses, production of proteins and viruses for molecular diagnostics;
- The establishment of a platform for the identification and characterization of new viruses (microarrays for virus discovery in clinical samples);
- Development and application of high throughput assays for serological diagnosis;
- Development of new, rapid and specific field diagnosis tests of acute respiratory infections;
- Technological transfer and capacity building.
Work package 3. Molecular Research & Therapy Development
IP-Shanghai, HKU-PRC, IP-Korea
Projects are centered on three main areas: the understanding of basic mechanisms of virus-host cell interactions, the development of new vaccines and vaccine strategies, and the search for new molecules with anti-viral activity. The specific goals of some of the ongoing activities are:
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To dissect viral and host factor interaction and pathogenesis of avian influenza virus;
To develop a novel HA-based subunit vaccine strategy which will rapidly adapt antigenic determinants from a new pandemic flu strain;
To identify novel targets and drugs to treat influenza and other viral diseases.
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Work package 4. Teaching & Training
All centers involved
Through WP4 we wish to implement training of researchers, medical doctors and public health personnel through a series of courses and technical workshops that will become a reference for the region. The Pasteur-Asia Virology course has been organized at HKU-PRC since 2005 and is now part of the postgraduate curriculum at HKU. The Bio-Safety training course at IPS provides instructions in effective procedures and practices to sampling, ship, and study biological infected material, how to respond to emergencies, an overview of techniques of waste management and requirements for bio-security.
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