UWARN Collaborators Come Together for CREID Network Inaugural Annual Meeting

UWARN Collaborators Come Together for CREID Network Inaugural Annual Meeting

On September 16-18, 2020, the United World Antiviral Research Network (UWARN) team participated in the Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases (CREID) inaugural Annual Meeting. This three-day meeting served as a kick-off for the ten recently funded CREID networks, with partnering institutions in 29 countries.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, opened the meeting with remarks highlighting the importance of the CREID’s coordinated effort to prepare for future responses to infectious disease outbreaks.

The first day continued with each research center presenting an overview of their partners, current activities, and planned research projects as a CREID research center. UWARN Lead MPI, Wes Van Voorhis presented on behalf of UWARN partners at University of Washington (Seattle, USA), Aga Khan University (Karachi, Pakistan), Chang Gung University (Taipei, Taiwan), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle, USA), FIOCRUZ (Salvador and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Institute of Protein Design (Seattle, USA), Institute for Research in Biomedicine (Bellinzona, Switzerland), IRRESEF (Dakar, Senegal), KRISP (Durban, South Africa), Rockefeller University (New York, USA), and Washington State Department of Health (Washington, USA).

Although not the ultimate focus of the CREID network, COVID-19 provided a common context for all partners as they discussed various aspects of pandemic preparedness throughout Days 2 and 3 of the meeting. “The current COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies the urgent need to better be prepared for future pandemics with the potential to threaten the lives of millions globally,” Dr. Souleymane Mboup, UWARN partner at IRRESEF in Dakar, Senegal reflects. “The CREID has the potential to become the leading network in research for prevention, rapid responses, and control of these emerging infectious diseases. At IRESSEF, we are proud and fortunate to be part of such timely initiative.”

“The CREID has the potential to become the leading network in research for prevention, rapid responses, and control of these emerging infectious diseases. At IRESSEF, we are proud and fortunate to be part of such timely initiative.” - Dr. Soleymane Mboup, UWARN Partner at IRESSEF

Dr. Jenner K. P. Reis, a UWARN veterinary partner of FIOCRUZ at the Minas Gerais Federal University, also reflected on the discussions between partners about pandemic preparedness. “There are several challenges… working in a worldwide network to create a scientific and technological base to fight emerging and re-emerging diseases, but when we are united as one we saw that our difficulties can be shared and our goals achieved most effectively”

"When we are united as one we saw that our difficulties can be shared and our goals achieved most effectively” - Dr. Jenner K. P. Reis, UWARN veterinary partner of FIOCRUZ at Minas Gerais Federal University

In addition to the annual CREID All-Network Meetings, the international UWARN team will meet monthly to encourage and maintain the collaborative research network. These meetings will provide opportunities for all partners to discuss CREID network updates, to collaborate across groups about research activities, and to highlight projects happening collectively and at individual partnering institutions.