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. 2023 Mar 1;8(1):75-84.
doi: 10.3138/jammi-2022-0009. eCollection 2023 Mar.

No time for complacency: The CoVaRR-Net Biobank is an essential element of laboratory preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks

Raphael Saginur  1 , James A Robblee  2 , Agatha Vranjkovic  1 , Laura Tamblyn  1 , Amy Hsu  1   3   4 , Curtis L Cooper  1   3   5 , Donald C Vinh  6   7 , Marc-André Langlois  3   5 , Angela M Crawley  1   3   5   8
Affiliations

No time for complacency: The CoVaRR-Net Biobank is an essential element of laboratory preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks

Raphael Saginur et al. J Assoc Med Microbiol Infect Dis Can. .

Abstract
in English, French

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic highlighted the need for rapid, collaborative, and population-centric research to define health impact, develop health care policies and establish reliable diagnostic and surveillance tests. Critical for these objectives were in-depth clinical data collected in standardized fashion and large numbers of various types of human samples prior and post-viral encounter. As the pandemic evolved with the emergence of new variants of concern (VOCs), access to samples and data from infected and vaccinated individuals were needed to monitor immune durability, the possibility of increased transmissibility and virulence, and vaccine protection against new and emerging VOCs. Therefore, essential to the pandemic response is a strong laboratory and data research component, supported by effective biobanking and data sharing. Critically important to the speed of the research response is the rapid access to biobanked samples. To address critical challenges brought to light by the pandemic, the Coronavirus Variants Rapid Response Network (CoVaRR-Net), funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, was established to coordinate research efforts to provide rapid evidence-based responses to emerging VOCs. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the CoVaRR-Net Biobank and define its contribution to pandemic preparedness.

La pandémie de SRAS-CoV-2 a fait ressortir la nécessité de réaliser des recherches rapides, coopératives et populationnelles pour en définir les effets sur la santé, promulguer des politiques sanitaires et établir des tests diagnostiques et des tests de surveillance fiables. Pour réaliser ces objectifs, il était essentiel de colliger des données cliniques approfondies d’une manière standardisée et d’amasser un grand nombre de divers types d’échantillons humains avant et après le contact viral. Lorsque la pandémie a évolué par l’émergence de nouveaux variants préoccupants (VOC), il est devenu nécessaire d’accéder à des échantillons et à des données de personnes infectées et vaccinées pour surveiller la durabilité de l’immunité, la possibilité d’une transmissibilité et d’une virulence accrues et la protection conférée par les vaccins contre les VOC nouveaux et émergents. Ainsi, il est essentiel de disposer d’un vigoureux volet de recherches de laboratoire et de recherches à partir de données pour répondre à la pandémie, soutenu par une mise en biobanque et un partage des données efficaces. Pour assurer une réponse rapide par la recherche, il est tout aussi important d’accéder rapidement aux échantillons mis en biobanque. Afin de relever les défis cruciaux soulevés par la pandémie, le Coronavirus Variants Rapid Response Network (réseau de réponse rapide aux variants du coronavirus; CoVaRR-Net), financé par les Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada, a été créé pour coordonner les efforts de recherche afin de fournir des réponses rapides fondées sur des données probantes aux VOC en émergence. Le présent article vise à présenter la Biobanque CoVaRR-Net et à en définir la contribution à la préparation aux pandémies.

Keywords: SARS; biobank; pandemic; preparedness; severe acute respiratory syndrome; variants of concern.

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Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
The CoVaRR-Net Biobank is central to the research operations of CoVaRR-Net Notes: CoVaRR-Net brings together Canadian researchers and experts in a variety of disciplines linked to emerging variants; connecting leading research laboratories related to the study of variants of concern, this network ensures a rapid and coordinated response to a complex pandemic; CoVaRR-Net is structured with ten themes or ‘Pillars,’ seven assessing a different biological aspect of variants, and three focused on Indigenous communities, public health impacts, and ensuring findings are quickly and efficiently communicated to decision-makers, scientists, and the general public; there are significant pillar-pillar interdisciplinary collaborations across this framework (indicated by the green and blue puzzle pieces); the Biobank and Data Platform are interacting with most pillars and captures other data and resources in the network (eg, research reagent listings, the Canadian Consortium of Academic Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) Laboratories (CCABL3), and the Wastewater Surveillance Group); for more details, refer to www.covarrnet.ca
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