With the EbolaMoDRAD project, we plan to investigate and focus our activities on developing robust, sensitive and rapid diagnostic tools for field investigation. The complexity of the technical issues to be addressed requires a broad multidisciplinary network of experts. The EbolaMoDRAD project aims to build existing leading-edge expertise in Europe, USA and Africa, and to bring together new networks of scientists to work towards solving important public health issues concerning EVD that are not solvable by individual groups.
The overall aim of EbolaMoDRAD is to develop and deliver rapid and bedside diagnostic tool(s) within a 24 month period that will significantly increase our capacity to handle the current situation of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa and also better prepare us for future outbreaks.
Work will be done via a multidisciplinary research consortium drawn from key European and African research organisations, thus consolidating previous tools and knowledge. EbolaMoDRAD will also put in place a strong capacity building programme in West Africa and hands-on training in non-endemic countries (neighbouring to endemic areas) in the fields of outbreak management, diagnostics and the application of EbolaMoDRAD tools/results. EbolaMoDRAD will disseminate widely all results as they become available notably to public health bodies, NGOs, outbreak management teams and local hospitals in West Africa via a strong outreach programme. To achieve the overall aim, an intensive work plan will be put in place with the following specific objectives:
- to develop a biosafe detection method (diagnostic tool) for use at points of care in EVD endemic countries;
- to validate the diagnostic tools first in BSL4 and reference laboratories and then in the field;
- to implement a strong capacity building programme in West Africa with focus on rapid diagnosis, biosafety measures and outbreak management (via WP4 and WP5).
- to disseminate widely the project and its results to public health bodies, NGOs, outbreak management teams and local hospitals in West Africa (via WP5).
