CVR Receives UKRI Funding to Tackle Viral Threats and Enhance Epidemic Preparedness

The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) is proud to announce a funding award from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of its work to tackle infections. The funding will enable the establishment of the "One Health Computational Network" (OHCN), an interdisciplinary project focused on predicting, detecting, and preventing viral diseases that threaten humans, animals, and plants.

This project is part of UKRI’s broader five-year strategy, Transforming Tomorrow Together, which aims to harness the full power of the UK's research system to tackle complex, large-scale challenges. The OHCN will integrate genomic, population, and ecological data to provide new insights and tools for epidemic preparedness, building on the latest advances in computational methods, including artificial intelligence (AI).

Emerging viruses pose a significant and growing threat due to factors such as global transportation, climate change, and land use, which enable viruses to spread faster and more widely across human, animal, and plant populations. The OHCN project, led by Professor Emma Thomson (Pandemic Preparedness Lead), Professor David L Robertson and other CVR researchers, aims to build an innovative interdisciplinary research network that will link datasets across sectors and develop new computational tools to address three central research themes:

1. Predicting the risk and spread of emerging and reemerging viruses across susceptible populations, including humans, animals, and plants, incorporating the impact of ecosystem and social changes.
2. Assessing the early detection of emerging viruses at the human-animal interface using enhanced surveillance methods.
3. Predicting evolutionary changes in viruses that could affect their phenotype and virulence.

By capitalising on the rapid developments in AI and computational biology, the OHCN will help to advance the understanding of viral disease emergence and develop new methods for preventing future outbreaks. The project will include virtual workshops and an in-person symposium to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and identify innovative approaches for epidemic preparedness.

Further UKRI-Funded Research at the CVR

In addition to the OHCN, Professor Antonia Ho, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the CVR, is involved in two other projects that are being funded by UKRI which are aimed at improving epidemic preparedness and reducing inequalities:

• Mobilising Scotland’s Assets for Epidemic Control (MOSAEC) – Led by the University of Strathclyde, this project brings together experts from different disciplines and sectors to address and reduce health inequalities and the impact of future epidemics on vulnerable communities. The MOSAEC network will identify solutions to address the inequalities that epidemics like COVID-19, HIV, and Zika exacerbate, with a focus on learning from past epidemics.
• Tackling epidemic threats by advancing the science of human interactions and infection– A collaborative project led by the Universities of Nottingham, Lancaster, and Cardiff, this research aims to fill critical gaps in our understanding of how human interactions drive the transmission of infectious diseases. By developing a network of researchers and public health professionals, the project will explore how social and economic factors influence epidemic spread and inform future public health interventions.

These projects are part of UKRI’s commitment to tackling infections through interdisciplinary collaboration. UKRI has already invested millions in research on vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics, but as diseases continue to evolve, the need for new approaches remains urgent. UKRI’s funding call focuses on protecting both human health and the natural environment from emerging threats, including avian flu, monkeypox, and crop diseases.

The establishment of the OHCN is the first phase of this project. The CVR will apply for additional funding in the future which will allow the network to start active research to develop innovative tools and methods to predict and prevent future viral outbreaks.

For more information on UKRI’s funding strategy, visit www.ukri.org.