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About Merial
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs approximately 5,000 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide. Its 2006 sales were nearly $2.2 billion. Merial Limited is a joint venture between Merck & Co., Inc. and sanofi-aventis.  For more information, please see www.merial.com.

Merial offers a comprehensive range of pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other services for pets, livestock and wildlife.
Merial is a world-leader in vaccinology and in the eradication, prevention and control of infectious diseases, including influenza, in a variety of animal species. Hence, Merial puts its Avian Influenza knowledge and expertise at the disposal of national and international authorities and responds to their specific needs.

Over several years Merial has developed a range of vaccines that has been successfully used to control avian influenza in poultry. Merial produces four vaccines against the H5 strain: GALLIMUNE® FLU H5N9, BIO FLU H7N1 + H5N9, BIO FLU H5N9 and TROVAC^TM AIV H5.
These vaccines have been used successfully for a number of years as key tools of programmes to control and eradicate the disease. The TROVAC^TM AIV H5 is a fowlpox AI vector vaccine. MERIAL has developed a whole variety of virus-based vector vaccines for poultry, feline, canine, equine and wildlife species.

Key Staff:
Dr. Michel BUBLOT
Virology Dpt, Discovery Research, MERIAL
254 rue Marcel Merieux
69007 Lyon
FRANCE

Dr. Frédéric Reynard
Philippe Baudu
Emilie Gardon

Participation in WPs 1, 2, 4 and 6

www.merial.com

About AFSSA

The “Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments” (French food safety agency) or Afssa is a public independent organism contributing through monitoring, alert, research and research instigation to the protection and improvement of public health, animal health and welfare, vegetal and environmental health.
Afssa offers solutions to increase the effectiveness of State decisions and to ensure a satisfactory level of safety in its area of expertise.
The Agency is thus responsible for fully identified operational assignments, including health and nutritional risk and benefit assessment, recommendation of health protection measures, management and instigation of national research, alert, monitoring and surveillance and lastly application of training and information initiatives.
The Agency is also the authority on veterinary medicinal products.
Created in April 1999 in response to various health crises, Afssa is placed under the supervision of the French ministries for health, agriculture and consumer affairs. It represents France within the European Food Safety Authority.

Afssa is composed of nine laboratories situated on the French territory, and employs 1000 people. The department involved in the project, called The Research Laboratory on Poultry, Swine and Fish (LERAPP) is situated in Brittany (Ploufragan-Brest) and has 190 employees. Poultry, Rabbit, Swine and Fish are the target animal species studied. This research enables a systemic, integrated approach of the problems encountered in the related productions, by combining microbiology, parasitology, epidemiology, virology and biotechnologies such as molecular biology, vaccinology, zootechnics and system analyses.
Ploufragan is the national reference laboratory for Newcastle disease, avian influenza, Campylobacter and Salmonella in poultry. It is also the national reference laboratory for swine fever and African swine fever and Aujeszky's disease in pigs. Additionally, it is the reference laboratory of the OIE (World organisation for animal health) for Gumboro (IBD) and Aujeszky’s  diseases and turkey rhinotracheitis. Concerning fish, it is the national reference laboratory for the viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS), infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN) and infectious salmon anaemia (ISA).

Among the nine research units in Ploufragan, 28 people are in the laboratory of Dr. V. Jestin, called Avian and Rabbit Virology-Immunology-Parasitology (VIPAC). Her laboratory has a:

long experience of

1. molecular virology and of molecular epidemiology on different models (including avian influenza viruses),
2. experimentation on ducks and assessment of vaccines,
3. serological test set-up and development in poultry including ducks;

good experience of

1. DNA immunization of poultry including ducks and
2. VLPs production on several models including avian influenza virus (AIV).

V. Jestin’s laboratory is equipped with BSL3 laboratory and facilities, sequencing apparatus and electron microscope to visualize virus like particles (VLPs). Her laboratory also has an agreement for storing and handling Highly Pathogenic (HP) AIV and for animal experimentation. Her unit is an accredited unit for avian influenza and Newcastle disease (ND) reference activity; regularly participates in European ring tests as a national reference laboratory for avian influenza and ND; is a regular organiser of national ring tests for both disease diagnostic and production of reference protocol.

Role in the project
Cloning, selection and optimization of the best AIV gene(s) to be inserted into the viral vectors; screening of the most immunogenic construction based on DNA immunization; assessment of a prime boost approach implementing VLPs; development and validation of DIVA tests; contribution to the assessment of efficacy of the best recombinant candidate; contribution to the evaluation of antigenic and genetic drift after vaccination.

Key Staff:
Dr. Véronique Jestin (F): DVM, PhD, accreditation to supervise research, she is a trained virologist, and has a long experience (31 years) of Newcastle disease, viral duck diseases and avian influenza. She is head of a Poultry Virology and Immunology research unit and of the national reference laboratory on avian influenza and Newcastle. She has skills in vaccinology, molecular virology, diagnostic methodology, avian pathology, animal experimentation, research management and risk assessment.

Dr. Olivier Guionie (M): PhD, he is a biochemist; has acquired a good experience in cloning, molecular biology and cell transfection. He has excellent skills in molecular virology (Avian metapneumovirus, Newcastle disease and influenza virus) and development of diagnostics tests (DIVA, real-time RT-PCR) and animal experimentation. Moreover, he has good experience in people management.

Dr. Ghislaine Le Gall-Reculé (F): PhD, she is a molecular virologist; has acquired a good experience (17 years) of virus like particle production in several viral models. She also has specific expertise and skills in molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analysis.

Martine Cherbonnel (F): Ingenior (22 years experience). She has excellent skills in molecular virology (Newcastle disease and influenza virus) and development of new diagnostic tests (including real time RT-PCR) and animal experimentation. She has contributed to many research projects including DNA vaccination. She is also in charge of quality insurance and good laboratory practices.

Josiane Lamande, Chantal Allée, Marie-Odile Le Bras (F): Expertise in avian virology and serology and animal experimentation.

Participation in WPs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6

WEBSITE:
Afssa Website: www.afssa.fr
Afssa Ploufragan Website : www.ploufragan.afssa.fr/pdf_files/PLAQUETENGLISHnov06.pdf

About VAR
VAR's main missions consist in scientific research, expert advice and services in the field of veterinary science and agricultural chemistry. VAR provides scientific and technical support at national and international level aimed at the fight against contagious animal diseases, protecting human health and the certification of the safety of animal and vegetal production in terms of zoonoses, contaminants and residues. This consists in the following tasks:

1. improving methods of diagnosis and prevention, fighting more effectively against animal diseases and decreasing environmental pollution by micro-organisms;
2. as reference laboratory towards Belgian and International authorities: (a) to conduct scientific research regarding the development and the application of new scientific techniques and methods in the field of veterinary science and agricultural chemistry;
   (b) to elaborate relevant scientific methods and standardized methods in that field;
   (c) to provide an official confirmation, notably of diseases that are subject to regulation, after having singled out, identified and characterized the agents responsible, especially in the context of diseases included in the lists A, B and C by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE);
3. As Belgium's reference laboratory in the field of animal diseases, to co-ordinate and to harmonize the diagnostic techniques used in certified investigation laboratories, in collaboration with the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain:
   - to study contagious animal diseases and their epidemiology, including research on the role played by wild fauna;
   - to control the quality of animal and vegetal products, checking compliance with consumer and export requirements;
   - to conduct scientific research regarding the development and the implementation of improved scientific techniques and procedures to trace residues of drugs, pesticides, organic substances, heavy metals, anabolic steroids, as well as other residues and compounds that could discredit the quality of animal or vegetal products.

In order to fulfill its mission of investigation, VAR relies on different categories of personnel: 100 statutory researchers and technicians, distributed over 6 departments, personnel belonging to the corporation, and contractual researchers financed by the European Union, the FPS Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, as well as the Regions and Communities. The public health tasks that are primarily technically oriented are performed by VAR's scientific personnel in collaboration with the veterinarians of the CCDD, the allocated personnel, and the department collection & stamping. In this respect, the scientific personnel is responsible for the scientific supervision and has the exclusive competence in terms of the reference tasks, including the detection, identification and characterization of pathogens.

Among these departments, our unit of Avian Virology and Immunology (20 persons) is the Belgian EU reference laboratory for Influenza and Newcastle Disease Viruses and the unique national laboratory for diagnosis of avian viral diseases of poultry in Belgium. Recent efforts have been oriented on the development of molecular techniques (cloning using the baculovirus or prokaryotic systems, real-time PCR) and study of cell-mediated immunity (including local and mucosal) in the chicken with the development of the first IFNγ assay for poultry. Therefore, we have all experimental facilities located in a high containment security level 3 building including chicken isolators, SPF eggs and chickens, incubators, ultracentrifugation, automatic DNA sequencer, Cell Sorter (FACS), electron and fluorescence microscopy and all necessary cell culture, immunology and molecular biology equipments.

Role in the project
VAR will address the issue of developing tools to be used to measure the immune response in ducks after vaccination and establish parameters for good protection.

Key staff:
Dr Bénédicte Lambrecht, Lic. Biology, PhD: Senior Scientist, 11 years in avian immunology, focusing on T cell immunity, and avian virology (NDV, AI)
Dr Thierry van den Berg, DVM, MSc, PhD: 19 years in avian virology/immunology, head of AI-ND reference lab, Chairman COST Action 839 on Immunosuppressive Viral Diseases of Poultry
Dr Steven Van Borm, Bioengineer, PhD: 6 years in molecular virology, 3 years in avian virology, development of QRT-PCR techniques for AI & NDV
Dr Helena Lage Ferreira, DVM, PhD: 4 years in avian virology (IBDV, AI)
Ir Fabienne Rauw: 5 years in avian virology & immunology, PhD student in mucosal immunity
Martine Gonze: 20 years in avian virology/immunology, specialized in monoclonal antibody production
Jean-François Pirlot: molecular biology

Participation in WPs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Website: http://www.var.fgov.be/

About VMRI
The main aim of the institute is to investigate the bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases of farm animals and to conduct molecular biology research on these areas. The overwhelming part of the work is basic research. In particular, molecular and genetic aspects are increasingly emphasized. However, the Institute's duties also include participation in different forms of "postgraduate" training, promotion of international collaborations, informing the public about scientific achievements, and assisting in the technological transfer of research results, for purposes of application. At present, the Institute continues to consolidate its position as a national resource of new knowledge applicable in prevention of infectious diseases of animals and a nest for internationally reputable basic research on its specific traditional areas. The number of employees of the Institute is 53, including 30 scientists and young researchers (with 10 PhD Students), allocated into the above 9 research groups, with each working on several projects that are gained from the Hungarian Basic Science Foundation (OTKA), or from the Ministry of Education (OM) or different other Ministries, or from the EU  and the poultry industry. The research and the publication activity of the Institute is being evaluated year-to-year by the H.A.S. and periodically by peer committees and was found satisfactory to outstanding. The number of ISI impacted publications/year is between 30 and 40 as an average.

Research aims and topics
Most of the research is concentrated on studying genetic material and proteins and glycoproteins of various pathogens. Among the viruses, primarily the herpes-, adeno-, paramyxo-, and avian tumour-viruses are investigated. Among the bacteria: E. coli, Pasteurella, Salmonella, Bordetella as well as Mycoplasma are studied for information of their so far less well known virulence characteristic. An important direction of the research is the improvement of methods of detecting infection by nucleic acid and peptide analysis. It is also important to study the relationship between virulence and antigenic composition of the pathogenic organisms. Basic research activities on the protozoa and on fish parasites are related to the etiology of the diseases and to the evolution of protozoa. Environmental health aspects of certain infections are also investigated. To know more about the research activity in the three main areas (virology, bacteriology and fish parasitology) please visit our website.
For more details of the participating Avian Immunology and Viral Oncology Group, please visit VMRI website.

Key staff:
Dr. Csaba (Nick) Dren, DVM, PhD:Senior scientist/head of the Avian Immunology and Viral Oncology Group of the VMRI. Field of Interest: avian virology, immunology and viral oncology.
Veterinary Medical Research Institute (VMRI),
Hungarian Academy of Science (HAS)
Hungaria krt. 21, PO Box 1581, HUNGARY

Mr. Csaba Szamado, biologist
Dr. I. Héjja, DVM,
Dr. Z. Bodrogközy, veterinary adviser,
Mr. J. Toth, technical assistant
Mr. T. Bacsko, technical assistant

Participation in WPs 1, 4 and 6

www.vmri.hu

About CAOVDD or CVI

About VLA/DEFRA
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA/DEFRA) is an Executive Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It provides a specialist veterinary resource to the UK Government to help it fulfil its aims and objectives in veterinary public health and developing sustainable agriculture and food industries. The VLA/DEFRA has a large headquarters site near Weybridge in Surrey, where most of the research activities take place. The Weybridge site is a well-equipped facility with high bio-containment level L3+ facilities. In addition, there are 15 smaller Regional Laboratories, which provide a surveillance network throughout Great Britain.

The principal mission of the VLA/DEFRA is to “safeguard public and animal health through world class veterinary research and surveillance of farmed livestock & wildlife”. The Virology department at VLA/DEFRA has a workgroup of twenty-one scientists dedicated to diagnostic, surveillance and research activities for avian viruses.

The primary functions of the work group are to act in a consultative capacity to government and, where applicable, to the European Union and other international agencies, in the areas of statutory and non-statutory avian diseases and mammalian influenza viruses. The work group is responsible for the diagnosis of statutory avian diseases and as such is the designated National Laboratory for Newcastle disease and avian influenza. There is also a comprehensive diagnostic service for non-statutory avian virus diseases and some aspects of swine influenza diagnosis are done within the group. In addition the work group is designated the following international reference laboratories: OIE Reference Laboratory for Newcastle Disease and Avian Influenza.; FAO Reference Laboratory for Newcastle disease and Avian Influenza; FAO Collaborating Centre on Diseases of Poultry ; European Community Reference Laboratory for Newcastle Disease; European Community Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza.

Role in the project: Protection studies and drift

Key staff:
Dr. Jill Banks (F) BSc, MSc, PhD: Research on Avian Influenza. Virologist with 30 years experience who manages a portfolio of research projects on avian influenza with a focus on epidemiology, pathogenesis, transmission and diagnostics.  She has responsibility for the statutory molecular testing of suspected HPAI viruses as part of the laboratories commitment as the EU, FAO and OIE reference laboratories for avian influenza. Currently the co-ordinator of the EU project FLUTEST.

Dr. Ian Brown (M) MIBiol, PhD Head of Avian Virology. Virologist with 30 years experience who heads a team of approximately 32 staff. Provides consultancy to FAO, OIE and EU in respect of avian diseases with particular emphasis on avian influenza. Liaises closely with human health sector in respect of influenza especially through WHO. Current research interests focus on influenza epidemiology, pathogenesis, transmission (including between hosts), diagnostics and control strategies.

Dr. Richard Irvine (M) Veterinary surgeon. Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (merit), Royal Veterinary College, University of London. Following graduation, worked as an assistant in veterinary practice with production animal bias, developing and managing herd and flock health plans.

Participation in WPs 1, 2, 5 and 6

www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/vla/

About Biosource
BioSource is an In Vitro Diagnostics and Life Science research product company. BioSource has developed a whole panel of immunoassays for research in human, mouse, rat, monkey or swine models and clinical immunoassays in a lot of areas (thyroid, cancer markers, reproduction, diabetes, growth and bone metabolism). - cell culture facilities and hybridoma production. BioSource has a strong experience and expertise of making monoclonal antibodies and a well established know how in developing human and animal cytokines ELISA immunoassays and ensure their commercialisation (at least 30 different cytokines). BioSource is equipped with mice handling facilities, with a laboratory for ELISA kits development and with full production equipment for ELISA kits. BioSource has international collaboration for the standardisation of Human Growth, is participating to European projects (“Cellular vaccines” BIO4 CT97 2216”) and has fruitfully collaborated with VAR (Th.Van den Berg) in 2000 for the development of a capture ELISA for the measurement of Chicken IFNγ.

Role in the project: BioSource will take in charge the development of specific monoclonal antibodies against Muscovy and Pekin duck cytokine. BioSource will participate to the development of an ELISA to measure duck cytokine.

Key staff:
Fabienne Mathieu
R&D hybridoma Department
Rue de l’industrie, 8
1400 Nivelles Belgium

Sandrine Denis

Participation in WPs 1, 3 and 6

www.biosource-diagnostics.com

About EPIXIS
Epixis is a biotechnology specialized in the development of advanced immuno-therapies against Hepatitis C and Influenza. One of the originalities of the technology developed by Epixis lies in the ability to produce e-VLPs (engineered enveloped virus-like particles) that mimic the form of natural enveloped viruses but do not carry any genetic material. Such e-VLPs induce protective immune responses similar to those seen with vaccines based on attenuated or inactivated viruses, but do not bring about the same safety concerns. The company has already shown that its proprietary vaccines can induce broadly neutralizing antibodies and efficient T-cell responses against several enveloped viruses. Beyond this, Epixis’ proprietary vectors are currently being evaluated in a standardized fashion, using gold-standard T- and B-cell immunogens, within the European FP6 grant called CompuVac. Epixis has a unique patent portfolio allowing developing and exploiting DNA vaccines expressing Influenza virus-like particles and, furthermore, allowing testing neutralizing antibody responses induced against the Influenza virus in a regular P2 lab.

Key staff:
Dr. Charlotte D’Alba, PhD
16 rue de la Glacière
75013 Paris, France

Dr. Pierre Garrone, PhD
Dr. Anne-Catherine Fluckiger, PhD
Mr. Jimmy Mancip, Technical assistant
Mme. Pia Dupeyrot-Lacas, Technical assistant

Participation in WPs 1, 2 and 6

contact@epixis.com