A research and InNOvation Partnership for enhancing the surveillance and control of mosquito VECtors of emerging arboviruses - "INOVEC"

The INOVEC project proposes to build a large pan-European, cross-sectoral, multidisciplinary and international network to enhance and promote scientific and technical knowledge on the surveillance and control of mosquito vectors of emerging arboviruses.

The project's primary goal is to develop, optimize and promote integrated approaches and entomological surveillance tools. INOVEC seeks to stimulate both basic and applied research, strengthen capacities, promote career development and facilitate knowledge and technology transfer to countries facing an increasing risk of arboviral diseases. Ultimately, the project aims to deploy tools tailored to local needs in an integrated manner, taking into consideration the specific needs of the local situation, communities, and available resources.

Ifakara Health Institute is a member of a consortium consisting of 21 partners from 12 countries dedicated to implementing the INOVEC project, led by the Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD), France.

The INOVEC partners include Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement, Bayer Aktiengesellschaft, Biogents, Centre de cooperation Internationale en recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Nationale Superieure de l'Electronique et de ses Applications, Enzyquest private company, Idryma Technologias Kai Erevnas, and Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Irideon s.l.

Others are, Mapa Technology s.l., CSIC Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Institut Louis Malarde, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, International Atomic Energy Agency, Schweizerisches Tropen und Public Health Institute, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique et Technologique * Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sante, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho, University of Mauritius, Universite Grenoble Alpes and The chancellor, masters and scholars of the University of Oxford (UOXF).

Funded by the European Union, the project will comprise several work packages. These include:

1. Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance
2. Targeted Interventions
3. Social Sciences
4. Advanced Training & Education (Ifakara will conduct a Scientific Conference in 2024)
5. Management & Valorization

All of the project's work packages will be implemented simultaneously by all consortium members from January 2023 to December 2026. At Ifakara Health Institute, Dr. Emmanuel Kaindoa, serving as the Principal Investigator, and Irene Moshi, the Project Leader, will lead the INOVEC project during this period.