ZIKAlliance is a multidisciplinary project with a global "One Health" approach, built: on a multi-centric network of clinical cohorts in the Caribbean, Central & South America; research sites in countries where the virus has been or is currently circulating (Africa, Asia, Polynesia) or at risk for emergence (Reunion Island); a strong network of European and Brazilian clinical & basic research institutions; and multiple interfaces with other scientific and public health programmes. ZIKAlliance will addrees three key objectives relating to (i) impact of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy and short & medium term effects on newborns, (ii) associated natural history of ZIKV infection in humans and their environment in the context of other circulating arboviruses and (iii) building the overall capacity for preparedness research for future epidemic threats in Latin America & the Caribbean. The project will take advantage of large standardised clinical cohorts of pregnant women and febrile patients in regions of Latin America and the Caribbean were the virus is circulating, expanding a preexisting network established by the IDAMS EU project. I will also benefit of a very strong expertise in basic and environmental sciences, with access to both field work and sophisticated technological infrastructures to characterise virus replication and physiopathology mechanisms. To meet its 3 key objectives, the scientific project has been organised in 9 work packages, with WP2/3 dedicated to clinical research (cohorts, clinical biology, epidemiology & modeling), WP3/4 to basic research (virology & antivirals, pathophysiology & animal models), WP5/6 to environmental research (animal reservoirs, vectors & vector control) , WP7/8 to social sciences & communication, and WP9 to management. The broad consortium set-up allow gathering the necessary expertise for an actual interdisciplinary approach, and operating in a range of countries with contrasting ZIKV epidemiological status.

The first Ebolavirus Zaire (EBOV) outbreak of 2014 was declared on 22 March in Guinea. As of 30 September 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports the total number of cases in the current outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa at 7470, with 3431 deaths. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the number of cases is currently doubling every 20 days and estimates the true number of cases at 2.5 times higher than that reported. Countries that have been affected are Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Ten percent of fatalities have occurred among front line health care workers attempting to contain the epidemic. On 7 August 2014, the WHO requested that GSK “fully engage in WHO-coordinated efforts to test, license and make available safe and effective Ebola interventions” to assist in the control of the outbreak. Taking into account the early stage of development, EbolaVac seeks to accelerate the clinical development of the GSK chimpanzee adenovirus type 3 Ebolavirus Zaire (ChAd3-EBO Z) vaccine candidate to make the vaccine available to frontline health care workers at risk and to be used in the containment of EBOV outbreaks. The project specifically aims to: (i) complete Phase 1 development of the ChAd3-EBO Z vaccine by supporting a clinical study conducted in Lausanne, Switzerland (WP2); (ii) evaluate the ChAd3-EBO Z vaccine in Phase 2 testing on adults and children at established clinical study centers in West Africa outside the current most heavily affected countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia (WP3); (iii) investigate immunological effects of vaccination and the effect of booster vaccination (WP4) and (iv) centrally manage and analyse clinical study data (WP5). Besides using an innovative vaccine technology, much of the innovation of this program will reside in its capacity to implement vaccine evaluation under significant time pressure and complex logistical challenges while maintaining appropriate quality standards.

DIGIPREW (Mobile Digital Preparedness and Response Without Borders) develops solutions for detection and response management of any biological threats (DRBT) in four work packages (WP). WP 1 develops a digital mobile information and response management system. WP2 designs a digital mobile laboratory information system. WP3 develops capacity building tools for DRBT. WP4 conducts a field pilot and operational research of WP 1 and 2 in Burkina Faso. DIGIPREW will lead to innovative eHealth solutions building on the technology of the mobile digital Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS), which is already successfully in use in Nigeria. Expanding on that, DIGIPREW develops modules specifically for the Franco-German context and the European Mobile Laboratory Consortium (EMLab). DIGIPREW includes three research institutions and one NGO, complemented by one SME and national public health institutes in Germany, France and Burkina Faso as associated partners.