SPbPU has been awarded the status of GVN Center for Global Virus Network

The Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies has joined the Global Virus Network (GVN) and received GVN Center of Excellence status. The institute will develop its activities within the framework of the Federal Strategic Academic Leadership Program Priority-2030, which SPbPU won in 2021.

The Global Virus Network is a professional community of virologists-scientists with a global vocation. The GVN currently comprises 66 Centers and 10 branches in 35 countries, including the United States, China, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, India, and others. In Russia, members of the Global Virus Network are the A.A. Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza of the Russian Ministry of Health, the M.P. Chumakov Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Moscow City Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS.

GVN President and Professor at the University of South Florida, Christian BRÉCHOT, MD, Ph.D., emphasized that the community looks forward to working with the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies as a Russian GVN Center of Excellence for genetic vaccines (based on self-replicating RNA, mRNA, and DNA), computational, structural and systems virology, and higher education in molecular virology.

The Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies develops vaccines against COVID-19, influenza, HIV and has advanced facilities for structural virology, genetic technologies for virology applications, computational virology, bioinformatics and mathematical modeling, development of recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies. Joining the GVN means joining the community of world-leading virologists who determine the trends of medical virology development in order to exchange information and cooperate, which has broad prospects both globally and locally. In particular, for Russia, these are opportunities to attract new developments and technologies in virology. For young scientists at the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies, this is a chance to receive internships in medical and molecular virology at the world’s leading centers that are members of the GVN (including through mini-grants from the GVN).

We look forward to productive collaboration and cooperation with our GVN colleagues in vaccine research and development, including joint grant applications and possible exchange of experience, as well as collaboration on educational programs in molecular virology, — Andrey VASIN, DSc, Director of the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies, and WHO NIC Director and GVN Center of Excellence Co-Director of the SRII, underlined.It is extremely important and valuable that the SPbPU network of partners around the world gives us such opportunities. It is essential to note that our Center participants will include not only SPbPU staff but also employees of other Russian scientific organizations. Collaboration with GVN will also allow us to expand our capabilities in ongoing research projects in virology, which are being implemented as part of the Priority-2030 program and the Advanced Digital Technologies activities of the WCRC.

Prepared by the SPbPU International Office by https://gvn.org/

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Today, the GVN is a unique, independent, global organization with deep and comprehensive expertise in human virology available to the international community by bringing together the best practices of institutions involved in the study of viral threats to human health, and with the ability to address current virological issues and the challenges of preparing for existing and potential pandemics.

The Governor’s primary goal is to support the development and deepening of vital links between the global public health community and the virological scientific community. GVN works to bridge the gap between governmental public health oversight and the virological scientific community, ensuring that public health officials receive the information they need when they need it. Working in different countries and institutions, many researchers are constrained by a lack of experience and expertise, lack of funds and resources, and objective political and economic barriers. Many organizations and government agencies suffer from a lack of access to the world’s leading scientists. By collaborating through the GVN, experts from around the world can act quickly and effectively to prevent viral pandemics that are dangerous to the economy and lives of people around the world.