Epi-SEQ: Molecular epidemiology of epizootic diseases using next generation sequencing technology
CGNI 2012-05-03-063
A collaborative research project supported under the 2nd joint call for transnational research projects by EMIDA ERA-NET.
This project, running from the 1st of May, 2012 until the 30th of April 2015, aims to exploit Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies to generate improved tools that can be used during epidemics of viral diseases threatening livestock industries in Europe. A multidisciplinary team with expertise in molecular virology, bioinformatics, modeling, and evolutionary biology will streamline and validate pipelines for sample preparation, data generation and sequence analysis. Partners include the Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Center (CODA-CERVA, Belgium, the coordinator), the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI, Germany), the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU, Sweden), the Institute for Animal Health (IAH-P, United Kingdom), the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venetie (IZSVe, Italy), and the University of Glasgow (United Kingdom). The project will target important RNA viruses that cause sporadic epidemics in Europe (Foot and Mouth Disease Virus, Avian Influenza Virus, Newcastle Disease Virus), are endemic in wildlife populations in some EU member states (Classical Swine Fever Virus), as well as DNA viruses that pose a threat to the EU (African Swine Fever Virus and poxviruses). The project will produce high-resolution sequence data from sample collections held in partner laboratory archives, as well as undertake new in vitro experiments to test specific selection pressures that influence viral evolution. These integrative studies encompassing this spectrum of epidemiology will stimulate the development of innovative diagnostic and control tools and provide broad insights into the comparative evolutionary ecology and epidemiology of viruses of veterinary and human public health importance.
The project kick-off meeting will be organized on 21 and 22 May 2012 in Brussels.
More information can be obtained from the project coordinator.