The One Health Modelling Network for Emerging Infections (OMNI-R脡UNIS) and Centre for Diseases Modelling (CDM) hosted their Annual Meeting 2022 on December 19, 2022, to share the work, research outcomes and training initiatives led by network members over the past year. The link to the is now available.
Professors H茅l猫ne Carabin and Jacques B茅lair from the Universit茅 de Montr茅al co-moderated the virtual event, and in attendance were network researchers, collaborators from across Canada and the U.S., representatives from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, as well as fellow Emerging Infectious Diseases Modelling (EIDM) networks. More than 20 speakers presented about recent research milestones. Further, 91亚色 postdoctoral fellow Pei Yuan presented on behalf of her winning group of the which included members Jeta Molla and Zahra Khanzad (91亚色), Harini Kapali (University of Victoria) and Aiyush Bansal (University of Toronto).
OMNI-R脡UNIS Director Huaiping Zhu, professor in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, took the opportunity to thank everyone for all their support in his opening address on behalf of the network鈥檚 leadership team.
鈥淎s we continue implementing initiatives in the second and third year of the grant, it is ever so imperative that we keep striving towards the intended and long-term objective and mission of this network: to build a modelling network that will enhance Canada鈥檚 early detection, warning, and response to emerging infectious diseases using a One Health approach,鈥 said Zhu. 鈥淎s infectious diseases continue to emerge, addressing the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their environment has become increasingly critical to our response and research.鈥
Over the last year and a half, OMNI-R脡UNIS has made significant strides across various components of the network:
- twenty-two active projects within four core emerging infectious disease sub-themes: Data Management, Risk for Emergence and Spillover, Early Warning Systems for Emerging Infectious Diseases, and Intervention and Control;
- capacity-building opportunities for highly qualified personnel and trainees in the EIDM consortium;
- knowledge-sharing events with renowned speakers; and
- network growth of the governing body and team.
As a One Health research network, OMNI-R脡UNIS teams are focused on building meaningful capacity as thought leaders in this space, to ensure the sustainability of the network, support knowledge users in public health, policy, and academia, and support decision-makers in helping to make public health decisions. During the next two years, the network will continue moving forward the impactful research of its existing projects across a number of current topics, expanding its geographic reach, increasing our collaboration with policymakers, and expanding its reach internationally.
CDM and 91亚色 are home to several network leads who have been instrumental in building up OMNI-R脡UNIS from its inception. They include:
- Huaiping Zhu (Faculty of Science), principal investigator and director of OMNI and CDM
- Jane Heffernan (Faculty of Science), highly qualified personnel training lead
- Iain Moyles (Faculty of Science), associate director and theme 4 co-leader (Intervention & Control)
- Hanna Jankowski (Faculty of Science), Chair of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity and Decolonization Committee
- Manos Papagelis (Lassonde), research lead theme 3 project (Early Warning Systems of EID)
- Jude Dzevela Kong (Faculty of Science), theme 3 co-leader (Early Warning Systems of EID)