Host switching pathogens, infectious outbreaks and zoonosis; a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Training Network

Project Information

HONOURs

Grant agreement ID: 721367

DOI 10.3030/721367

Project closed

EC signature date 20 December 2016

Start date 1 April 2017

End date 31 March 2021

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost € 3 860 395,56

EU contribution € 3 860 395,56

Coordinated by

AMSTERDAM UMC RESEARCH BV
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HONOURs (Host switching pathogens, infectious outbreaks and zoonosis; a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Training Network)

Reporting period: 2019-04-01 to 2021-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The increase of the human population is accompanied by growing numbers of livestock to feed this population, as well as by an increase of human invasion into natural habitats of wild animals. As a result, both animals and humans are becoming progressively vulnerable to infections with known (zoonotic) pathogens, but are also increasingly exposed to novel viruses. Global trade as well as climate changes can contribute to pathogen transmission, e.g. through import of infected vectors or expansion of habitats for arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes and midges. Infectious disease outbreaks, especially those by novel viruses, are generally unexpected, and therefore we should be prepared with tools and abilities for immediate action, including the identification of the causative agent, the evaluation of its pathogenic potential for animals and humans, and the fast development of diagnostic assays to allow contact tracing and quarantine measures. HONOURs is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Innovative Training Network (MSCA-ITN), that trained 15 talented young researchers to become "preparedness-experts". HONOURs, initiated in April 2017, involved 11 laboratories from 6 different European countries, all at the forefront of novel virus investigations and characterizations. The network was coordinated by Dr Lia van der Hoek (Amsterdam UMC).

YouTube: https://youtu.be/njb88XNVtT4
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E_Iqlio0i0

HORIZON, the EU Research & Innovation Magazine:
• Q&A: Why history suggests Covid-19 is here to stay | Horizon: the EU Research & Innovation magazine | European Commission (horizon-magazine.eu)
• Q&A: How to track down a new virus – and link it to disease | Horizon: the EU Research & Innovation magazine | European Commission (horizon-magazine.eu)

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Infectious diseases have always been a massive burden on the wellbeing of humans and animals, far beyond the consequences of war and natural disasters. Infectious outbreaks in animals and humans emerge unexpectedly, caused by known pathogens or by hitherto unknown pathogens. COVID-19 and avian flu have shown that the spread of animal viruses is the main source of novel viral infections in livestock and humans. With a novel virus introduction, either in the veterinary or in the human field, it is important to address several essential research questions. Important aspects are the geographic location of the introduction, the size of the epidemic, the disease association, virus evolution, mortality and morbidity, animal species involved in a transmission chain and also virus-host interactions. The objective of the HONOURs MSCA-ITN was to train young researchers on all these different aspects of emerging viral infections and the threat of zoonotic viruses. Fifteen ESRs had an individual research topic leading to a thesis defence and the awarding of a PhD degree. Specialized courses were supplied by several senior scientists of the HONOURs consortium (amongst others Prof Dr Marc van Ranst, Prof Dr Volker Thiel, Prof Dr Martin Beer, Prof Dr John Barr).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

ESRs of HONOURs produced an impressive set of scientific publications in high impact journals: Nature (n=3); Nature Communications (n=2); Nature Medicine (n=1); PLOS PATHOGENS (n=1); PLOS BIOLOGY (n=1); PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES (n=2); Viruses (n=6); Genes (n=2); Eurosurveillance (n=2); Clinical Epidemiology (n=1); Microbiology Resource Announcements (n=1); Emerging Infectious diseases (n=1); Transboundary and Emerging Diseases (n=2); Journal of Virology (n=2); Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease (n=1); Virus Genes (n=2); Virus Evolution (n=1); MBio (n=1); Vaccines (n=1); Virus Research (n=2); and chapters of the book: Coronaviruses: Methods and Protocols. Vol 2203. Humana, New York, NY (n=2).

See also Webpage of HONOURs: https://www.honours.eu/publications

HONOURs ITN

YouTube movie HONOURs https://youtu.be/njb88XNVtT4