WHO and Partners Award $2 Million in Grants to Enhance Pathogen Genomic Surveillance in LMICs

Pathogen genomic surveillance analyzes the genetic code of viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens to understand how they spread and cause illness.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have unveiled 10 groundbreaking projects that will receive nearly $2 million in catalytic grants aimed at bolstering pathogen genomic surveillance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These grants, offered by the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN), are designed to improve the capacity of countries to detect, track, and respond to infectious disease threats more effectively, a key component of global health security.

Pathogen genomic surveillance analyzes the genetic code of viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens to understand how they spread and cause illness. This data is crucial for developing vaccines and treatments, ensuring rapid responses during outbreaks, and informing public health decisions, thus safeguarding populations against future pandemics.

The IPSN fund is supported by the United Nations Foundation, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Wellcome, all of which are committed to enhancing the global response to infectious diseases through innovative genomic tools.

Unlocking the Potential of Genomic Surveillance

“The IPSN catalytic grant fund has immense potential to expand the use of genomic surveillance,” said Sara Hersey, Director of Collaborative Intelligence at the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. “By supporting these projects, we are taking a vital step in pandemic and epidemic prevention and improving global health security.”

The fund aims to support the scale-up of genomic surveillance in LMICs and explore emerging applications, such as wastewater surveillance and new methods for monitoring diseases like avian influenza in high-risk environments. This funding will help countries leverage genomic data to enhance public health responses and improve their capacity to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.

Noteworthy Grantees and Their Impact

Among the 10 grantees, some key projects include:

American University of Beirut (Lebanon): The university will use wastewater surveillance to track diseases in refugee populations, providing critical insights into public health in migration settings and enabling faster responses.

Pasteur Institute of Laos: This institute will develop new tools to monitor avian flu in live-bird markets, addressing a major gap in disease monitoring in the global food supply chain.

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil): This project focuses on creating an open-source bioinformatics tool for conducting genomic analysis offline, which will be piloted in Latin America and has the potential for global implementation, especially in resource-limited settings.

“These projects are essential for enhancing disease surveillance in regions that are often underrepresented in global health initiatives,” said Titus Divala, Interim Head of Epidemics and Epidemiology at Wellcome. “By developing in-country solutions tailored to local needs, these efforts will generate data and insights that will inform both regional and global health strategies.”

Expanding Access and Addressing Global Health Challenges

With the ongoing threat of pandemics exacerbated by climate change, there is an urgent need to ensure that all countries have access to advanced genomic tools for pathogen surveillance. "Pandemics and epidemics remain significant global threats, further amplified by climate change. Ensuring equitable access to genomic surveillance is critical to protecting vulnerable populations worldwide," emphasized Manisha Bhinge, Vice President of Health Initiatives at The Rockefeller Foundation.

The catalytic grants aim to close the gap by providing resources to LMICs, allowing them to build capacity, innovate in disease surveillance, and strengthen their responses to public health threats. By addressing challenges such as bioinformatics infrastructure and wastewater monitoring, the projects will offer scalable solutions that benefit not only local populations but also the global community.

Global Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing

The announcement of the grantees came during the IPSN Global Partners Forum, held in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 21-22, 2024. The event was co-hosted by WHO Regional Offices for South-East Asia and the Western Pacific, as well as the Centre for Pathogen Genomics at the Doherty Institute in Australia. It marked a pivotal moment for advancing international collaboration in pathogen surveillance and sharing innovative approaches to combat infectious diseases.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for accessible genomic tools in every country. The IPSN’s catalytic grants will play a crucial role in generating data and new methods for scale-up in LMICs,” said Simon Harris, Director of Global Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Genomic Surveillance

The IPSN will offer a second round of catalytic grants in 2025, continuing to expand and enhance genomic surveillance capabilities worldwide. By focusing on cutting-edge genomic technologies and innovative disease-monitoring methods, these initiatives represent a major step forward in ensuring global health preparedness for future pandemics and infectious disease outbreaks.

The catalytic grants provide a significant opportunity for vulnerable communities to increase their resilience against infectious diseases and to contribute valuable data that will inform global health policies and practices. Through these investments, WHO and its partners are working toward equitable, sustainable health solutions for all.