Work Package 1
Cohort preparedness platform
Lead:
Dr. Adriana Tami
University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
Groningen, Netherlands
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Co-Lead:
Prof Dr. Philippe Mayaud
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
London, United Kingdom
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Contact Information:
Email: contagio@mmb.umcg.nl
Phone/WhatsApp: +31 6 50260153
The overall aim of WP1 is to lay the groundwork for a rapid research response platform to (re)emerging infectious diseases (EID), using existing cohort networks as a starting point. As important steps towards this aim, we have identified and are developing essential components of a coordination mechanism for the cohort preparedness platform, including a toolbox for the maintenance of cohort research groups during interepidemic periods.
WP1 is designed to achieve the following three objectives:
Objective 1: Develop a pandemic preparedness cohort platform to map research groups conducting cohort studies in the Global South and Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) (Task 1.1)
Researchers
Dr. Adriana Tami (lead) 1,2 and Prof. Philippe Mayaud (lead) 3
Dr. Vaitiare Mulderij-Jansen 1 and Aida Bedri, MSc. 1
Task 1.1 aims to establish connections among international research groups running cohort studies, multidisciplinary platforms, and clinical/epidemiological research networks in disease endemic countries and the Global South that are equipped to respond to EIDs with epidemic or pandemic potential. To achieve this aim, the following steps will be undertaken:
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Conduct a comprehensive landscape analysis and develop an inventory (database) of cohort researchers across disease endemic countries and the Global South around Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean;
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Provide a concise and standardised description of cohort researchers and their capabilities within these regions; and
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Develop a FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) platform (dashboard), to be made publicly available on the CONTAGIO website and, where possible, linked to existing consortia platforms.
This online platform will empower researchers to:
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Rapidly respond to emerging epidemics by facilitating collaboration and access to essential tools.
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Form research consortiums to tackle outbreaks or pandemics more effectively.
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Access resources such as harmonised electronic case report forms (eCRFs), biorepository capabilities, and ethics templates within the CONTAGIO website
Task 1.1 has synergies with other CONTAGIO WPs. The inventory will subsequently be used to identify needs and opportunities, and to serve as a communication platform for the promotion of and access to tools: Roadmap in Task 1.2; harmonisation and modularized e-CRFs in CONTAGIO WP2; ethics, regulatory and legal procedures in CONTAGIO WP3; and biorepositories/biobanks in CONTAGIO WP4.
Objective 2: Develop a roadmap for repurposing existing cohorts in the event of an epi/pandemic (Task 1.2)
Researcher
Prof. Thomas Jaenisch,
Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg (UKHD), Germany
University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus (UCD), United States
Task 1.2 aims to create a disease-agnostic roadmap or toolbox for inter-epidemic maintenance of cohorts that will:
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Keep participants and researchers engaged and prepared for re-activation
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Serve as the main guide for researchers, helping them navigate and utilize all the tools available on the CONTAGIO website
The roadmap/ toolbox will cover the following aspects:
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Rapid ethical clearance via ‘pre-clearance’ of modular elements
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Building good communication channels with local ethics committees
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Resources for eCRFs
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Preparing data sharing and material transfer agreements
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Identification of channels for rapidly importing reagents and supplies
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Upholding minimal activities at the site, including training for continuously employed personnel, and to future personnel hired during outbreaks
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Maintaining the engagement of local principal investigators in networks across countries/regions, offering benefits through networking and collaborative publications
Objective 3: Enhance the communication between national surveillance authorities and cohort research led by academic institutions in a subset of pilot countries (Task 1.3)
Researchers
Prof. Neal Alexander,
London School of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene
(LSHTM), United Kingdom
Dr. Maria Consuelo Miranda
Universidad Industrial de Santander
(UIS), Colombia
Task 1.3 aims to establish an enhanced communication channel between the scientific groups at local academic institutions (responsible for ongoing cohort studies) and public health authorities, to share research findings and stay up to date with public health priorities.
This initiative was successfully piloted in Colombia through a collaboration between the Universidad Industrial de Santander and the Instituto Nacional de Salud. We are actively exploring possibilities for specific research projects that will further facilitate interaction with the countries' public health entities. Further piloting is planned in Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru.