News - Annual Report year 3 EPIZONE

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Annual Report year 3 EPIZONE

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Some highlights from the 3rd Annual Report:

    ·          One of the main highlights from the third year is that EPIZONE raised the preparedness regarding Peste de Petit Ruminants (PPR) in Europe. For that purpose, CIRAD (EPIZONE partner institute) initiated a ring trial on PPRV detection for the EPIZONE institutes.
·          In its first year Young EPIZONE gathered over 100 members and they organized 3 meetings with guest speakers from industry, research institutes and governmental institutions.
·          As a new activity during the 3^rd Annual Meeting in Turkey a number of EU funded relevant research projects were presented. This was well received by the participants and the reviewers. The annual meeting was attended by participants from 26 countries.
·          The increased success of the short-term training missions between EPIZONE partners was confirmed in year 3 with eleven Short Term Missions, sponsoring 13 scientists.
·          Within the Diagnostic theme “EPIZONE Reference RNApanels” for classical swine fever virus, foot and mouth disease virus, bluetongue virus and avian influenza virus, were distributed amongst the EPIZONE partners and these panels will also be used as common control materials. The finalized “EPIZONE Chip” for pan-viral detectionand was distributed to the EPIZONE partners and tested during a workshop. The chip covers 37 virus families. Different EPIZONE partners validated commercially available (marker) ELISAs.
·         Further initiatives to share knowledge and expertise in the field of vaccine discovery started in the discussion groups about bluetongue virus, African swine fever virus and Rift Valley fever virus.
·          EPIZONE works on intervention strategies to share knowledge and expertise, implement standardized protocols, share reagents and develop novel joint strategies to improve disease control.

EPIZONE chip

EPIZONE chip covers 37 virus families

Expires

1/18/2010

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