AMR One-Health Network meets in Brussels

JPIAMRs Laura Marin participates in the meeting on March 12, and presents AMR research-related activities.

The bi-annual EU AMR One-Health Network meetings provides a platform for members to present national action plans/activities, share best practices, discuss policy options and enhance coordination. For the first time, NGOs active in the area are invited, such as: the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME), the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) and the Council of European Dentists (CED) presents an initiative on One Health in undergraduate education.

Coming Soon: Call on Diagnostics and Surveillance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become one of the major global health and development challenges of the 21st century. The threat of AMR is particularly high in resource-limited and high-risk settings. This is linked to weak human and animal health systems; diverse means of food production, processing and consumption; food safety and food security; water, hygiene and sanitation challenges; and the global movement of people and goods.

In response to these challenges, the JPIAMR will launch a joint transnational call for proposals for innovative research projects on new or improved diagnostics and surveillance strategies, tools, technologies and methods. These research projects should address diagnosis of AMR infections in clinical and veterinary settings, or the emergence, surveillance, and/or detection of AMR in humans, animals and the environment. This Call will support research projects that also have the potential for impact in areas where the risk and burden of AMR is greatest, e.g. in LMIC settings in Asia and Africa. Projects are encouraged to use a One Health approach where relevant. The projected call budget is approx. 20 million Euro.

Scope of the call

Projects should aim to either:

  1. Develop strategies, tools, technologies, and methods for the detection, monitoring, profiling and/or surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and dynamics leading to resistance.
  2. 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.
Eligibility

List of participating countries is provisional.
Consortia of eligible scientists from participating JPIAMR member countries and eligible countries in Africa and Asia may apply to this call. Full eligibility criteria will be included in the Call launch. Participating JPIAMR member countries include Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain and  Sweden. Consortia must include a minimum of three and a maximum of six project partners from at least three eligible countries.

The Netherlands has the intention of joining the call but no funding is guaranteed yet. Updates on the progress will be shared.

Expected timeline
  • November 2018 – Pre-announcement of the call
  • December 2018 – Publication of the call
  • February 2019 – Submission deadline for pre-proposal
  • April 2019 – Full proposal invitations sent to project coordinators
  • June 2019 – Submission deadline for full proposals
  • October/November – Final funding decision announced
  • December 2019/ Early 2020 – Project start

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The Virtual Research Institute Workshop in Berlin – Outcomes and Actions

One of the most interesting developments of the JPIAMR right now is the JPIAMR-VRI; the Virtual Research Institute on AMR. The JPIAMR-VRI is a key to unlock new potentials of AMR research and to be even more inclusive by increasing the diversity of researchers working together on AMR across disciplines, embracing the One Health approach.

From nearly all the continents of the world, with only South-America missing, a diverse crowd representing organisations in Japan, Egypt, South Africa, South Korea, USA, Canada and many European Countries met for two days in Berlin. During this two-day meeting we shared the room with representatives from research organisations, WHO, Wellcome Trust, Pew Charitable Trusts, GardP, IMI, Tatfar, the European Commission, The Global AMR R&D Hub, and CARB-X. The objective of the workshop was clear: To develop the scope, aims and model a JPIAMR Virtual Research Institute – a dynamic network for AMR research. Invited speakers shared examples of research networks that are successful and up and running today. Among them were Wim van der Poel from the Collaborating Veterinary Laboratories (Covetlab), Robert Hancock from the Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network (CBDN) and Martin Krönke who shared insights from the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF).

The outcomes from the workshop can be summarised in two sentences: “Let’s get going” and “to be all inclusive and truly global”. As the focus and model for the VRI became clearer, participants asked for the VRI to have an element of disruption, because AMR research now needs to be addressed in new ways.

The JPIAMR-VRI is a virtual platform to connect research networks and research performing institutes/centres to implement Antimicrobial Resistance One Health collaborative research on the JPIAMR Strategic Research Agenda priority topics by increasing knowledge, diversity, collaborations and capability.

An important aim of the JPIAMR-VRI is to create long-term sustainability of networks; connect existing networks across borders and across disciplines, increase research outcomes; improve capabilities and training; and attract new/young scientists to the AMR field.

Some of the capabilities the VRI will provide and enable are:

  • Connecting AMR researchers under the JPIAMR priority topics in a One Health approach
  • Building capacity and strengthening capability
  • Facilitating access to scientific information and infrastructures
  • Global reach: Bridging geographic borders in the research community
  • Breaking practical barriers between fields of research
  • Increasing the visibility for the AMR issue
  • Driving the uptake of research into policy

Some of the potential outcomes of the JPIAMR-VRI are:

  • Integrating activities among networks: Joint research programmes/work plans across research centres or research networks
  • Develop knowledge gaps and gap analysis based upon and enhancing further the JPIAMR mapping/database of AMR research projects and research centres increasing visibility of the research performed
  • Data sharing
  • Sharing of negative results
  • Scientific evidence for policy and guidelines
  • Exchange programmes between researchers (e.g. fellowship schemes, travel grants etc)
  • Networking activities
  • Educational and training programmes

So, how is all this to be manifested? The JPIAMR member nations will take clear actions to build the foundation for the JPIAMR-VRI. We will implement the actual digital platform and the AMR context in 2018 via workshops, a JPIAMR Network/Working Group call and a variety of other activities.

Please continue to follow us via social media, subscribe to our newsletter and connect with us to follow and engage in the process and progress of manifesting the JPIAMR-VRI.