Project summary

Currently, within the European Union, a largely informal communications system exists between the avian influenza (AI) national reference laboratories (NRL's), coordinated by the community reference laboratory (CRL). The current global H5N1 crisis has resulted in a significantly increased demand for laboratory capacity and capabilities for AI diagnosis and surveillance.

The exponential growth in AI work has highlighted the benefits of closer collaboration within the network that we propose to address. Spread to humans has also highlighted real concerns of the pandemic potential of H5N1, reinforcing the need for closer integration between veterinary and public health laboratories. FLU-LAB-NET, provides new opportunities for enhancement and reinforcement of the CRL and NRL networks within the EU, facilitating improvements and harmonisation of laboratory and diagnostic methods, coordination of research efforts, data exchange, as well as development and sharing of expertise. Rapid responses to national and global emergencies with data sharing will be key areas of exploitation, leading to a European laboratory task force capability for AI in animal species. Rapid and formal interactive communications will be addressed through the application of web-based fora.

The envisaged network will also encompass participation of laboratories involved in influenza research in domestic mammals and foster formal links and coordination with corresponding human, swine and equine influenza networks. FLU-LAB-NET provides a vision of enhanced interactions, identifying and developing the complementarities of global, multi-disciplinary influenza research programmes. Strategically important Third country and INCO partners are also included in this network, in order to raise laboratory standards and benefit from knowledge sharing. This will promote greater trust, understanding and early access to information that may be of importance to both veterinary and public health in the EU.

Four major Work Packages (WP) have been identified, each managed by a WP leader (WPL). Each WPL will work to a specified job description and work objectives.

Graphical presentation of the Work Packages

Work Package 1: "Task Coordination, Management & Logistics"

WP1 has been established with well-defined activities to provide an infrastructure to achieve maximum integration and coordination between WP’s in the Task and within the matrix structure of the project. The role of WP1 is to ensure that all relevant contacts are made with the Commission including reporting, organisation of meetings, allocation and utilisation of resources. The WP leader will liaise with and ensure that all partners and WP leaders respect deadlines that have been agreed. Issues relating to potential non-delivery and problem solving options will be identified and acted upon. More>>

Work Package 2: "Development & Management of the Information Technology (IT) Systems Networks for Improved Communications"

WP2 will provide an IT infrastructure to support a “virtual” collaboration Network to enhance interactions and communications between the ‘Internal’ and ‘External’ partner networks. This will be achieved by means of a synergistic, three phase programme. Phase I will enable rapid, up-front, implementation of a simple, web-based collaboration solution. Phase II will gather requirements for further collaboration facilities and review latest technologies to provide a more extensive collaboration environment and the needs of a truly global Avian Influenza network. Cross-fertilisation with other EU Networks of Excellence and other projects should identify synergies and potential for sharing common technical solutions. Phase III, the third and final phase, will provide implementation of technical solutions and may be based on a number of different, but integrated platforms, including further developments of Phase II, open source and mainstream Internet tools or indeed other technologies shared with existing and planned EU Networks. Further details are described in Section 7. More>>

Work Package 3: "Establishing the 'Internal' FLU-LAB-NET Network” for the EU25 MS AI Reference Laboratories"

WP3 for the EU25 MS AI Reference Laboratories, will enable identification of key areas for development within the EU25 NRL ‘Internal’ network, organisation of meetings and regular discussion fora. Activities in WP2 will allow for scoping assessments to optimise communication and remote harmonisation of methods between members of the network through evaluation, development and implementation of a suite of IT tools, enveloped as FLU-LAB-NET. WP3 will facilitate opportunities for rapid communication and discussion especially in relation to disease emergency response, but also using IT facilities for research and development fora. Improved communication via an interactive forum will enable timely troubleshooting of laboratory related problems, encourage collective debate and input to technical problem resolution promoting improved minimum standards, greater consistency and speedy resolution of problems particularly those of a technical nature. The CRL will also liaise with the European Commission on progress and developments from the project. In addition, proficiency testing panels not currently within the scope of the EU CRL mandate will be valuated. Harmonised and enhanced proficiency testing panels and protocols will then be rolled out for implementation across the EU NRL 'Internal' network and to the INCO, and Third countries. Benefits and outputs of these approaches will be made available as required to external networks including public health reference laboratory partners. More>>

Work Package 4: "Establishing 'External' Networks linking to EU25 FLU-LAB-NET"

WP4 will provide an open discussion forum between EU and INCO states, Third countries and laboratories involved in influenza research/surveillance in domestic and companion mammalian species, as well as fostering links and coordination with corresponding networks for human influenza. Due to the dynamic epizootiological situation that avian influenza infection presents, and the rapid rate-of-change regarding emergent HPAI incursions in novel geographical locations, further assessments to target additional, appropriate INCO and Third country partners, outside the EU25 MS NRL 'Internal' network, will be undertaken during the first three months of the life of the project. Meetings will be organised to evaluate pertinent issues, including ‘state of the art’ and workshops with themes associated with knowledge sharing. Embracing the ‘External’ Partners within FLU-LAB-NET will allow for development of a research agenda relating to common issues or topics between networks and, therefore, more readily identify opportunities for collaboration through formal projects. Additionally, FLU-LAB-NET WP4 will examine fora for rapid data and knowledge sharing eg. gene sequences. Contact points from the ‘External’ networks will be identified, allowing for coordination of planned research efforts. Following on from the outputs of WP3 (evaluation of proficiency testing panels), it is envisaged that harmonised and enhanced proficiency testing panels and protocols can be rolled out for implementation across the 'External' avian network, comprising the INCO and third countries. These panels of samples will be made available as required to, mammalian influenza partner institutes, international organisations and to public health reference laboratory partners, in addition to circulation within the EU NRL 'Internal' network. More>>