EPIZONE Themes
As a virtual institute the activities are organised in 3 horizontal integration themes (Virtual Institute, Strategic Integration, and Spreading Excellence) and 4 vertical scientific integration themes (Diagnostics, Intervention Strategies, Surveillance and Epidemiology, and Risk Assessment).
The horizontal integration themes are:
Theme 1 "Virtual Institute"
Coordinator: Professor Wim van der Poel, Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, The Netherlands
WP 1.1: Virtual Institute
WP 1.2: Communication
Theme 2 "Strategic Integration"
Theme leader: Dr Alessandro Cristalli, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy
WP 2.1: Scientific coordination and strategic planning
WP 2.2: Shared resources
WP 2.3: Expertise development
Theme 3 "Spreading Excellence"
Theme leader: Dr Emmanuel Albina, Centre de coopération Internationale en Recherche
Agronomique pour le Développement, France
WP 3.2: Education
WP 3.3: Young EPIZONE
The scientific integration themes are:
Theme 4 "Diagnostics"
Theme leader: Dr Martin Beer, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Germany.
Dr Åse Uttenthal, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark.
The following Work Packages within Theme 4 “Diagnostics” are instigated and will be the basis for a ‘Diagnostic Network’ within EPIZONE:
WP 4.1: PCR-diagnostics
WP 4.2: DNA-Chip-based diagnostics
WP 4.3: DIVA Diagnostics
WP 4.4: Pen-side tests
Theme 5 “Intervention Strategies”
Theme leaders: Dr Linda Dixon, Institute for Animal Health, United Kingdom and
Dr Marie-Frédérique Le Potier, Agence Française de Securité Sanitaire des Aliments, France.
The following Work Packages within Theme 5 “Intervention Strategies” are installed and will be the basis to improve developments in the field of intervention strategies for epizootic diseases in Europe:
WP 5.1: Vaccine technologies
WP 5.2: Host responses to infection
WP 5.3: Adjuvants
WP 5.4: Antivirals
Theme 6 “Surveillance and Epidemiology”
Theme leader: Dr Claes Enøe, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark.
Laura Powell, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, United Kingdom.
The following Work Packages within Theme 6 “Surveillance and Epidemiology” will be the basis for the proposed joint activities:
WP 6.1: Surveillance & Epidemiology of emerging viral diseases in aquaculture
WP 6.2: Field Epidemiology & Surveillance of AI and APMV
WP 6.3: Experimental Epidemiology
WP 6.4: Molecular Epidemiology
Theme 7 “Risk Assessment”
Theme leader: Dr Louise Kelly, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, United Kingdom.
Dr Franz Conraths, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Germany.
The Theme 7 “Risk assessment” consists of four Work Packages as follows:
WP 7.1: Standardisation of import risk assessment
WP 7.2: European online database on epizootic diseases as an early warning system
WP 7.3: Decision support system for CSF
WP 7.4: Impact of environmental effects on the risk of introduction of epizootic diseases in Europe: Identification and Prioritisation.