NGDC Oct 27, 2023
The ANSO Collaborative Research Project entitled "Study on accurate early warning methods for high-risk variants of global emerging infectious diseases" held a workshop in Beijing on October 19, 2023. The workshop was hosted by Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (BIG, CAS) / China National Center for Bioinformation (CNCB). Representatives from partner institutions attended the meeting, including National Laboratory for Scientific Computation (LNCC), Brazil, University of Montpellier, France, and National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Pakistan.
Prof. Shuhui Song, Principal Investigator of the project, reported on the progress and achievements of the project, highlighting recent advancements in haplotype network construction algorithms and detection of dangerous strains of SARS-CoV-2. In particular, the model for detecting high-risk variants has been applied in Resource for Coronavirus 2019 (RCoV19) and is updated regularly, receiving positive feedback and recognition from participating experts.
Project members including Chinese team member Prof. Mingkun Li, Brazilian team leader Prof. Ana Tereza Ribeiro de Vasconcelos, French team leader Sofia Kossida, and Pakistani team leader Prof. Amjad Ali engaged in in-depth discussions on various topics such as host immune responses, vaccine design for dangerous variants, and the evolution of infectious diseases. The participants explored future research directions and work plans regarding data sharing, epitope prediction, and other aspects, laying a solid foundation for promoting the implementation of the project.
Funded by ANSO, this project was launched in December 2022 with the aim of providing methods and technical support for precise prevention and control of global emerging epidemics, especially in developing countries along the Belt and Road. Through international cooperation, it is hoped to enhance the capabilities of "Belt and Road" countries to respond to future outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases.