Twinning Program : a strong tool to support cooperation between MediLabSecure members
On 2023, MediLabSecure project launched a call for Twinning Program applications within its network. The aim was to support cooperation between MediLabSecure members while filling existing gaps through the transfer of knowledge, experience, and skills, from one member to another. These initiatives not only empower our members but also contribute to the overall strengthening of our network's capacity. Go back on three of the selected twinning programs there were implemented in 2024.
"Improve Epidemiological Surveillance for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Armenia and Georgia"
The Twinning Program between Armenia and Georgia, led by the Epizootological Laboratory of Natural Focal Infections of National Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Armenia, aimed to strengthen epidemiological surveillance of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Armenia and Georgia. Through a series of trainings, participants from Armenia and Georgia got to exchange knowledge on various fields such as CCHF surveillance, GIS application for epidemiological monitoring of naturally focal infections, and field studies on tick species like Hyalomma.
"Building Tick Identification Skills in Lebanon"
This program was led by the Laboratory of Immunology and Vector-Borne Diseases of Lebanese University of Public Health. It allowed the head of the Virus, Vectors, and Hosts Laboratory of Institut Pasteur de Tunis, to carry out a mission to Lebanon from May 26 to June 4, 2024, to strengthen the country's capabilities in tick identification. He trained researchers on the morphology, biology, and diagnosis of ticks, with practical sessions at the Faculty of Public Health II laboratory in Beirut. Tick collections were made in different regions using two techniques: flagging to collect ticks from vegetation and tick sampling from animals (dromedaries, sheep, goats). The mission led to the creation of a reference tick collection for the Lebanese laboratory. Finally, a seminar on vector-borne zoonoses was held with scientists from the University of Beirut.
"Enhancing Zoonotic Pathogen Detection and Analysis through NGS and Bioinformatics: A Two-Week Training Program"
This twinning program was led by the Institute of Veterinary Medicine of Serbia which organized a two-week training program on sequencing and bioinformatics. To do so, the Veterinary Faculty in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, conducted this training program to enhance sequencing and bioinformatics skills of five Serbian research scientists at the Institut of Veterinary Medicine of Serbia. The first week was dedicated to laboratory work, where participants engaged in sequencing activities with a portable real-time device (MinION), focusing on the West Nile Fever Virus. In the second week, the training shifted to bioinformatics analysis, with participants learning to use various online and software tools for sequencing data analysis generated during the first week. They gained expertise in virus identification platforms and performed in-depth analyses using tools such as SamTools and CLC Genomic Workbench. The program successfully equipped participants with practical skills for pathogen detection and bioinformatics workflows.