Project Title:  “Establishment of a Southwest-Asian network for biosecurity and diagnosis of dangerous infectious diseases” German Federal Foreign Office, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (BwIM); Project duration: 29.08.2014 - 31.10.2016

Project Summary

a).Project  Objectives: 

Biosurveillance of the pathogens found in endemic areas and risk assessment of natural infections with potential biological agents.

Detection of pathogens in environment and in clinical samples, implementation of methods of diagnostic and detection.

Training of Georgian junior scientists according to the Doctoral student program.

B). ProjectImplementation:

Task 1:  Awareness raising - Planning a field study to evaluate incidence of Tick Borne Encephalitis (TBE) in designated areas in Georgia, previously collected samples will be used for comparison. Conducting of international workshops in Tbilisi (including Armenia and Azerbaijan) together with UNICRI project regarding biosafety/ biosecurity topics.

Task 2:  Diagnostics and detection– Establishment of cell culture in the lab with cell lines for orthopoxvirus diagnostics. Intensification of virus infected cell culture handling  (methods of infection, isolation of viruses, preparation of virus stock, characterization of infected cell lines).Development of PCR diagnostic for Leptospira (primer-probe disaign, disaining of PCR reaction ). Introduction to cloning techniques and internal control design for qPCR with validation schemes. Implementation of qPCR diagnostic for leptospira, orthopoxvirus, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and other pathogens

Task 3:  Training of Georgian junior scientist according to the Doctoral student program.

-3 and 6-month stay of a Georgian junior scientist at the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology in order to learn microbiological and serological laboratory techniques for TBEV and orthopoxvirus. In frame of the project German partners will assist junior scientist for successful completion of doctoral thesis studies, for preparing publication in peer-reviewed journals and  receiving doctoral degree.

c.) Expected results: The results of the research conducted in the context of German-Georgian  project will regularly be presented at national and international conferences and congresses. Joint publications will be prepared and submitted in peer-reviewed journals by Georgian and German scientists participating in the program. Training of junior scientists, conducted field study, identification and characterization of pathogens will strengthen the laboratory capacity of NCDC and  improve the surveillance system in Georgia. Also, in the framework of the project national and regional (Armenia, Azerbaijan) scientific meetings will be held.