In the exceptional context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRD has implemented a communication strategy from the start of the crisis and supported its teams' responses to several calls for scientific projects designed to provide answers to the current crisis. The IRD's President and CEO has decided to set up an interdisciplinary and partnership-based scientific committee, COVID-19, made up of eight leading IRD scientists involved in the study of this pandemic and, more generally, in the study of emerging infectious risks. The purpose of this committee is to advise IRD's governance on the decisions to be taken in relation to the pandemic and to promote the coordination of the scientific actions to be undertaken. It is chaired by Flore Gubert, Director of the 'Societies and Globalisation' Department, and Yves Martin-Prével, Director of the 'Health and Societies' Department:
Laëtitia Atlani-Duault, anthropologist, DR IRD (UMR CEPED), co-leader of the structuring interdisciplinary and partnership programme (PSIP) "Global Change and Emerging Infectious Risks" and member of the Covid-19 Scientific Council and the Analysis, Research and Expertise Committee (Care) mobilised to advise the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister.
Eric Delaporte, University Professor, hospital practitioner in infectious diseases at Montpellier University Hospital, head of the "operational research" team and director of the IRD's TransVIHMI UMI.
Rodolphe Gozlan, conservation ecologist, DR IRD (UMR ISEM), specialising in the study of the impact of changes in biodiversity on the emergence of human pathogens.
Fatoumata Hane, socio-anthropologist, Senior Lecturer at Assane Seck University, Ziguinchor, Senegal
Ousmane Koita, Professor of Molecular Biology/Parasitology, Director of the Applied Molecular Biology Laboratory, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako, Mali
Francine Ntoumi, molecular biologist, Faculty of Science and Technology, M. Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, Member of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS)
Benjamin Roche, IRD PhD (UMI UMMISCO and UMR MIVEGEC), mathematician, co-leader of the PSIP "Global change and emerging infectious risks", modeller of the evolutionary ecology of infectious diseases,
Abdoulaye Touré, Professor of Public Health, Director of the Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Infectiologie de Guinée and Director of the Institut National de Santé Publique de Guinée, Guinea
As a catalyst for the IRD's action, this committee identifies, supports and puts in contact those involved in research projects related to the COVID-19 crisis, particularly in the main affected countries of the South, in Africa but also in Asia and Latin America. This is why we are asking all researchers wishing to get involved in research projects related to the COVID-19 crisis in developing countries to inform the IRD's COVID-19 Scientific Committee (an email address has been set up for this purpose). comite.covid19@ird.fr) in order to maximise the effectiveness of the research effort in today's global health emergency.
I hope you will all continue to enjoy your activities in the safest possible conditions for you and your loved ones.
Philippe Charvis