On 30 March 2022 Pirbright signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) in Canada.
This exciting collaboration highlights the Institute’s global commitment to prevent and control infectious disease.
The agreement will encourage knowledge exchange between experts from the two institutes, which will increase the capacity for vaccine innovation and pandemic preparedness throughout the world.
The Pirbright Institute and VIDO, Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research are world leaders in infectious disease research and vaccine development. Both also adopt a One Health approach in preventing and controlling diseases in people and animals through vaccine development.
VIDO focusses on rapid responses to emerging infectious diseases. It was the first Canadian organisation to isolate SARS-CoV-2, the first to study the disease in an animal model, and the first university in Canada to have a vaccine in clinical trials. It operates the largest high containment facility in Canada and is also developing a vaccine production facility for innovative new vaccines.
This partnership will be mutually beneficial and grows the potential for more innovative scientific research and will use expertise to benefit the international scientific community.
Professor Bryan Charleston, Director of The Pirbright Institute said: “Collaboration between these two centres of excellence will address some of the major global challenges to improve food security and reduce the impact of livestock production on climate change”.
The Director of VIDO, Dr. Volker Gerdts, said “Global threats affecting livestock impact food security for all nations. This formalised partnership will support animal health and productivity towards securing our international food supply and supporting 'one-health'”.
Photo credit: Canadian High Commission.
Image shows Professor Bryan Charleston (centre) with members of the VIDO collaboration