Call: JPIAMR Network Plus

10th call, 2020

Network T&CM alternatives for antibiotics worldwide: Global Initiative for Traditional Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance (GIFTS-AMR)

Network partners
Call

Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) is often used in both animal and human healthcare and may contribute to reducing inappropriate antibiotic use (e.g. as part of delayed prescription strategies (human healthcare) or as alternative prevention or treatment (e.g. for uncomplicated acute infections in both human and animal healthcare).

Ongoing project

However, there is as yet no global overview or network of research institutes and researchers working in this area and no broadly supported research agenda on T&CM alternative for antibiotics. We therefore aim to build such a network, in order to maximize exchange between research institutes, collaboration on projects and funding activities and to develop research agendas with sufficient support.

Aims:

  • To develop a global “Traditional Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance” network by mapping and connecting the research fields, research institutes, infrastructures and researchers in human and animal healthcare involved in research on T&CM
  • To develop research agendas starting with at least one to three prioritized indications both in human and veterinary healthcare
  • To prepare grant proposals for research projects and the continuation of the network after the JPIAMR project
  • To communicate to relevant stakeholders the existence, activities and output (e.g. research agendas, website) of the Network, both online (report on website, webinars) and during an (online) international conference

Activities:

  • Plenary and working group meetings: two ‘live’ meetings/ year if possible; otherwise via online video conferences. Telephone or video conference calls.
  • Survey and interviews to collect information of research institutes (e.g. research fields, projects, infrastructure/ networks, databases, available technologies and resources, research capacities and areas that need strengthening)
  • Communication through 3-monthly newsletters, website, congress and webinars

Expected results:

  • A growing globally organized network of Traditional & Complementary Medicine (T&CM) and AMR/ infectious diseases research institutes, researchers in both human and veterinary medicine and global/ regional policy makers
  • A website with accessible information on T&CM, regarding for example research institutes, research fields, projects, infrastructures/ networks, databases,  available technologies and resources
  • A supported research agenda on priority areas for research in both human and veterinary medicine
  • Global communication on the contributions of T&CM (research) to AMR and prevention and treatment of infections
  • Funding and sustainability: the network will facilitate collaboration between institutions with similar interests in order to prepare grant proposals which will enable the research agenda to be implemented, and the network to be sustainable after the end of funding from JPIAMR

Network partners

  • Erik W. Baars, University of Applied Sciences Leiden, Netherlands (Coordinator)

This network includes 33 partners: Network composition (pdf)

Call

Sharing Research on AMR Network (SHARENET)

Network partners
Call

The threat of AMR is rising in low and middle income countries (LMIC). The French Alliance of Health Sciences Research Institution (AVIESAN) has recently established a small network for AMR research in partnership with LMIC scientists to strengthen local research expertise. The aim is to assist in the collection of relevant evidence to advise stakeholders and policymakers on suitable control strategies for AMR reduction that are tailored to the local situation and founded on local problematics. Countries initially involved are Cambodia, Madagascar, Ivory Coast and France.

Ongoing project

In this proposal, we intend to expand the network to integrate experts from Laos, Mauritius, Burkina Faso and Senegal, together with scientists from Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. The intention is to reinforce the geographical distribution of the network (South-East Asia, Indian Ocean and Africa, linked with Europe), strengthen its coherence, and enrich the collaboration. The proposed multidisciplinary Network+ will develop two multicentre research projects intending to identify key determinants of AMR emergence and dissemination. It will be operated as a dynamic collaborative and synergistic process: after an initial workshop in which participants will prepare a detailed outline of the wo research projects, the protocols will be fully developed with clear indication of respective tasks and responsibilities, and piloted for feasibility. A second workshop will take place to gather progress and results, and final protocols submitted for funding. Partners will prepare for the implementation of the research protocols, with supporting best practice activities.

This Network will contribute to the collection of a large dataset that will enrich AMR knowledge, and assist in implementation of efficient strategies for AMR control in LMICs. Contents and expected deliverables of the projects will be described in Communication Notes to be placed on JPIAMR-VRI.

Network partners

  • Christian Lienhardt, Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement, France (Coordinator)

This network includes 23 partners, please click on the following link to see complete network composition: Network composition Sharing Research on AMR Network (SHARENET)

Call

Convergence in evaluation frameworks for integrated surveillance of AMR, CoEval-AMR PHASE 2

Network partners
Call

An integrated approach to surveillance spanning different sectors has been promoted by international organisations for more than a decade and constitutes a central recommendation of the WHO action plan on AMR. The objective of the CoEval-AMR Network is to develop consolidated guidance for evaluation that addresses the specific needs of integrated One Health surveillance systems for AMR and AMU.

Ongoing project

Activities targeted for this proposal called “Co-Eval-AMR PHASE 2” include the development of methods and metrics for the evaluation of governance and impacts of One Health surveillance, and their application to selected country-based case studies. Two scientific workshops will be held to build on researchers’ experience and expertise, and consolidated guidance will be developed and made publicly available through the existing online websites. Results will allow for a better understanding of the added value of integrated surveillance for AMR, and to compare integrated surveillance governance strategies across countries in order to identify the most effective and efficient approaches.

Network partners

  • Cécile Aenishaenslin, Université de Montréal, Canada (Coordinator)

This network includes 25 partners, please click on the following link to see complete network composition: Network composition Convergence in evaluation frameworks for integrated surveillance of AMR, CoEval-AMR PHASE 2 

Call

GAP-ON€-2

Network partners
Call

The impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an almost invisible enemy, which slowly, but steadily has impacted society as a whole. Multi-, and/or pan-drug resistant strains have emerged, and have been spreading readily, causing deaths, disabilities and economic losses.

Ongoing project

Like for viruses, emergence of successful clones could further aggravate the immense impact of AMR on the global economy, especially if there is an outbreak of multi- or pan-resistant infections. As AMR has been rising slowly, little data has been available about its impact, especially for low- and middle income countries, and especially with regards to economic costs. Understanding how AMR currently affects health care expenditure and economic productivity in health care and agriculture, and how it is likely to do so in times of greater transmission in the future, are key to being able to making informed decision-making with regards to public health interventions, including economically-sound decisions such as surrounding the relative cost-effectiveness of interventions.

To address the complex issue of building the cost picture associated with AMR, we have a three-step roadmap. In the first step, a cost framework completed by the GAP-ON€ network, funded under the 2018 Network Call. Also, GAP-ON€ also identified and contacted a list of 102 key stakeholders. The second step is to gather a smaller group of critical experts from all the One Health areas to co-write a much larger proposal detailing relevant data sources, data gaps, applicable methodologies, and their interconnectedness. The third step will be the actual cost study that needs to be undertaken to gauge the real cost magnitude associated with AMR. Such a major undertaking will require careful planning, and sufficient resources to carry out and coordinate.

We plan to hold one F2F meeting amongst key experts to develop these study structures, map out potential funding sources, and write a coherent project proposal worthy of funding.

Network partners

  • Luigia Scudeller, IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano Foundation, Italy (Coordinator)

This network includes 19 partners, please click on the following link to see complete network composition: Network composition GAP-ON€-2

Call

Alliance for the Exploration of Pipelines for Inhibitors of Carbapenemases (EPIC Alliance)

Project partners
Network partners
Call

EPIC Alliance is composed of 11 members from 7 countries, bringing together experts from the fields of clinical and basic microbiology, infectious diseases, computational biology & chemistry, bioinformatics, biochemistry, translational biology, biophysics, pharmacology, toxicology, veterinary sciences, and epidemiology.

Ongoing project

Carbapenems are among the most potent drugs available to treat bacterial infections that are resistant to other antibiotics. However, several bacteria become resistant to these molecules through the production of enzymes that can break down carbapenems, called carbapenemases. These carbapenemase-producing bacteria threaten our ability to control many infectious diseases across the globe since they render one of the most potent antibiotics ineffective; in addition to frequently being resistant to many other families of antibiotics at the same time. Moreover, there are increasing rates of these carbapenem resistant organisms being reported worldwide. There is thus a great need for strategies to overcome this antimicrobial resistance. One such strategy is the use of carbapenemase inhibitors that might block the action of carbapenemases and could have the potential to reverse the resistance to carbapenems. This approach, though very promising, can be very laborious, time consuming, and costly. Therefore, several groups have relied on computational approaches to detect possible carbapenemase inhibitors. The computational approach is not without its own set of challenges since its success heavily relies on choosing the correct search parameters, algorithms, and databases, in addition to selecting molecules that could successfully pass all the filters before being used in practice.

Within the EPIC Alliance network, we bring together experts from the fields of clinical and basic microbiology, infectious diseases, computational biology & chemistry, bioinformatics, biochemistry, translational biology, biophysics, pharmacology, toxicology, veterinary sciences, and epidemiology spread across seven countries. All members of the network are leading experts in their fields, and with our combined expertise, we will be able to answer the following question: What is the best approach for data mining on carbapenemase inhibitors and how to translate this data into experiments. Specifically, over the course of two years, the consortium will be addressing the following questions, among others that may arise:

  1. What is the best way to predict the carbapenemase inhibiting activity of molecules?
  2. How to target carbapenemases with broad spectrums of activity?
  3. Which parameters should be chosen for the computational data mining for carbapenemase
    inhibitors?
  4. How can we test candidate molecules in-vitro, in-vivo, and through clinical trials?
  5. What is the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of this approach?
  6. Is this approach better than already existing ones?

By answering these questions, we hope to reach a unified strategy for finding and testing these important molecules that can safesafeguard the use of carbapenems and help in the global effort to fight against bacterial resistance.

Network partners

  • Elias Dahdouh, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Universitario La Paz, Spain (Coordinator)
  • Dr. Jesús Mingorance from the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Universitario La Paz (IdiPAZ), Spain
  • Dr. Paulino Gómez Puertas from the Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CBMSO, CSIC-UAM), Spain
  • Dr. Stefano Lorenzetti from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Italy, in collaboration with Dr. Francesca Spyrakis from the University of Turin, Italy
  • Dr. Thierry Naas from the Université Paris-Saclay, Hôpital de Bicêtre, France
  • Dr. Bogdan Iorga from the Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles (ICSN), CNRS,
  • Université Paris-Saclay, France
  • Dr. Nathaniel Martin from the Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, The Netherlands
  • Dr. Joe Rubin from the University of Saskatchewan at Saskatoon, Canada
  • Dr. Luis Martínez-Martínez from the Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de
  • Córdoba (IMIBIC), Spain
  • Dr. Thomas Tängdén from the Uppsala University, Sweden
  • Dr. Linda Falgenhauer from the Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany

Call

JPIAMR Network for Integrating Microbial Sequencing and Platforms for Antimicrobial Resistance (Seq4AMR)

Network partners
Call

Main Questions/Approach: How can we best identify and promote collaboration and implementation between AMR NGS stakeholders that link the individual fields of (new) NGS technologies, algorithms, quality standards, teaching/training and sequence databanks?

Ongoing project

Answer – By establishing an international and interdisciplinary OneHealth network of public and private experts to take the lead in identifying potential knowledge gaps and solutions. Further, by developing AMR NGS-dedicated quality and teaching/training materials. Finally, by promoting discussion and interactions between AMR NGS stakeholders and other working groups with cross-cutting priorities – including extensive use of JPIAMR VRI.

Objectives:

  1. Promote active collaboration between interdisciplinary OneHealth AMR NGS stakeholders
  2. Identify knowledge gaps and provide solutions to current/future AMR NGS issues
  3. Formulate recommendations on quality and quality materials
  4. Educate AMR NGS stakeholders via interdisciplinary-directed AMR NGS teaching/training materials

Activities:

  1. Dedicated website and access to network materials
  2. Face-to-face network meetings and regular teleconferences (in collaboration with other relevant JPIAMR working groups)
  3. Open access publications and collation of a Seq4AMR Strategic Roadmap
  4. Dedicated interdisciplinary Seq4AMR webinar(s) and course(s)
  5. Dedicated Seq4AMR workshop at a relevant international meeting
  6. Promotion of Seq4AMR and JPIAMR during conferences.

Expected Results:

  1. Establish new OneHealth AMR synergies between international and interdisciplinary experts for knowledge exchange, joint publications grant writing etc.
  2. Identify current knowledge gaps and how to best fill these gaps
  3. Formulate quality recommendations and access to materials
  4. Develop new interdisciplinary AMR teaching/training/ materials
  5. To publish a Seq4AMR Strategic Roadmap
  6. To contribute and strengthen the activities of JPIAMR VRI

Network partners

  • John Hays, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Netherlands (Coordinator)
  • A. Stubbs, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Netherlands
  • A. Heikema, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Netherlands
  • A. van Belkum, BioMérieu France, Craponne, France
  • W. A. Valdivia, Orion Integrated Biosciences (OIB), Kansas, USA
  • Liping Ma, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
  • E. Kristiansson, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • S. Bruchmann, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
  • A. McArthur, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada (CARD Database)
  • S. Emler, SmartGene GmbH, Lausanne, Switzerland
  • E. Claas, Leiden University Hospital, Leiden, the Netherlands
  • S. Beisken, Ares Genetics GmbH, Vienna, Austria
  • R. Stabler, London School for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
  • A. Lebrand, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
  • M. Petrillo, European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
  • S. Capella-Gutierrez, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
  • L. Portell, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
  • B. Grüning, Freiburg Galaxy Team, Freiburg, Germany
  • G. Cuccuru, Freiburg Galaxy Team, Freiburg, Germany
  • C. Carrillo, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, Canada
  • B. Blais, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, Canada
  • B. Gruening, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
  • W. Meier, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
  • B. Batut, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
  • K. Vanneste, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
  • J. Bengtsson-Palme, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • T. Naas, Hopital de Bicêtre, Paris, France
  • N. Strepis, Erasmus University Medical Centre (Erasmus MC), the Netherlands
  • A. Rhod Larsen, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • B. Helwigh, National Food Institute, Lyngby, Denmark
  • H. Hasman, National Food Institute, Lyngby, Denmark
  • R. Hendriksen, National Food Institute, Lyngby, Denmark
  • S. Forslund, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany 
  • L. Pedro Coelho, Institute of Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • A. Patak, Molecular Biology and Genomics Unit, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Ispra, Italy
  • M. Querci, Deputy Head of Unit, Joint Research Centre European Commission, Brussels, Belgium
  • G. van den Eede, Head of Unit, Health, Consumer and Reference Materials, European Union, Brussels, Belgium

Call

The JPIAMR Primary Care Antibiotic Audit and Feedback Network (PAAN): An international collaboration on best practices for the delivery of antibiotic prescribing feedback to community clinicians using behavioural science

Network partners
Call

Antibiotic overuse is contributing to rising rates of antimicrobial resistance. Audit and feedback (A&F) can be an effective tool to modify prescribing behaviour. Jurisdictions are, or will be, implementing community antibiotic A&F, as part of broader antimicrobial stewardship programs, which will benefit from tools and resources to optimize their effectiveness.

Ongoing project

New research that builds on existing knowledge to advance the field of A&F is needed. Important questions remain surrounding optimal data for antibiotic A&F, methods to optimize the delivery of that data to clinicians, tools that can facilitate incorporation of data into practice, and how such programs can be effectively sustained over time.

We propose assembling an international network of experts from fields of antimicrobial stewardship, primary care, and implementation science. The experts have been selected to bring diversity in expertise, geographical locations, career stages, and genders. The overall objectives of the network are to provide best practice resources on conducting A&F interventions on antibiotic use in primary care, as well as define research priorities to advance this field forward. In addition, we will leverage an existing international network, the A&F MetaLab, to establish a learning community to facilitate longevity and ongoing collaboration and contribution to the JPIAMR-VRI network. We will achieve our objectives through video-conferencing throughout the project cycle with 2-3 multi-day in-person meetings over two years. However, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic we will build in a virtual contingency plan. A modified Delphi method will be used.

Outputs from this network will include a systematic review, best practice resources and tool-kits, and a paper outlining research priorities. These will be organized into publishable peer-reviewed manuscripts as part of a broader dissemination and knowledge translation plan that leverages existing stakeholder networks.

Network partners

  • Kevin Schwartz, University of Toronto, Canada (Coordinator)

This network includes 29 partners, please click on the following link to see complete network composition: Network composition The JPIAMR Primary Care Antibiotic Audit and Feedback Network (PAAN): An international collaboration on best practices for the delivery of antibiotic prescribing feedback to community clinicians using behavioural science

Call

JPIAMR Network Plus 2020

Information & application
Funders
Supported projects

The JPIAMR is launching the tenth call for transnational networks in partnership with eight member countries; Canada, France, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden.

The intent of the call “JPIAMR Network Plus 2020” is to support networks to design and implement ways to support AMR research considering at least one of the six strategic areas of the JPIAMR Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA): Therapeutics, Diagnostics, Surveillance, Transmission, Environment and Interventions. Networks should develop and implement activities focusing on AMR within the domains of Human health, Animal health and the Environment. The Networks are encouraged to bridge multiple One Health areas as needed and to consider the incorporation of their activities within the JPIAMR-Virtual Research Institute (JPIAMR-VRI).

Networks will be funded with €50,000-100,000 per year per Network for one to two years, to connect experts from research performing organisations and establish expertise clusters in the AMR community. Networks may build upon new or existing global collaborations/partnerships. The total budget of the call is approximately 940,000 Euro.

The formation of larger, multi-coordinator Networks is possible according to national rules. This is an ERA-NET JPI-EC-AMR additional activity.

Note that JPIAMR Network calls do not fund research projects.

Scope of the call

Projects should aim to either:

  • Develop strategies, tools, technologies, and methods for the detection, monitoring, profiling and/or surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and dynamics leading to resistance.
  • Study ways to facilitate and implement the uptake and use of existing strategies, tools, technologies, and/or methods for the detection, monitoring, profiling and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and dynamics leading to resistance.

Expected Outcomes

It is expected that this JPIAMR call will contribute to the urgent need to curb the burden associated with the most prioritised infections in different geographical settings. This topic area is also suitable to reinforce collaborations involving industry and social sciences. Regional LMIC led collaborations are welcomed. The results of the funded projects should contribute to improved understanding, monitoring and detection of AMR where efforts to curb AMR will have a global impact.

Suggested Focal Areas

  • Establish the validity of new or improved diagnostic tools, technologies and methods.
  • Evaluate how new or improved diagnostics can promote more prudent use of antibiotics (e.g. narrow spectrum antibiotics) in human and veterinary use
  • Rapid diagnostics (essential for optimal antimicrobial selection) and point-of-care techniques, to improve personalised or individual therapies
  • Development of new, or more efficient use and accessibility of already existing, tools, technologies and/or methods to detect AMR in multiple reservoirs, for example human, animal and environmental samples

Projects are encouraged to consider the global use of the tools, technologies and methods, including use in low and lower middle income settings (e.g. lack of laboratory facilities, affordable diagnostic tests, unreliable or unavailable electricity supplies or points-of-care-tests).

The following sub-topics are not within the scope of the call:

  • Investigations based on, or involving, clinical trials.
  • Investigations aiming to improve existing commercial technology or products (more details on this will be in the full call text and annexes)

Information & application

This call is closed.

Funders

Canada
Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)

France
French National Research Agency (ANR)

Italy
Ministry of Health (It-MOH)

Latvia
Ministry of Education and Science (IZM)

Norway
The Research Council of Norway (RCN)

Spain
National Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII)

Sweden
Swedish Research Council (SRC)

The Netherlands
The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw)

Supported projects

Seven networks including 146 partners from 35 countries were funded within the JPIAMR 10th transnational call: “JPIAMR Network Plus 2020”. The total funding amount was approx. 737.000 €. Click on the network titles in the list below to read more on each network.