VIRAL

The detection and characterization of emerging viruses are of critical importance in the field of veterinary vaccinology, in order to guarantee the quality of vaccines and to control any biological risk related to their use. The vaccines manufacturers challenge, according to the national and international drug agencies guidelines, is to (i) describe with a great accuracy all the components of the vaccines, (ii) check their quality (eg: viral titre) all along the production process and (iii) ensure that no microbiological contaminants are present. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and high throughput molecular techniques offer new possibilities to improve veterinary vaccines production. Filavie, the program partner, is a pharmaceutical company whose objective is to develop up-to-date tools aimed at improving vaccine-biological safety and quality. Moreover, the genetic mutations of the targeted viruses are a concern for vaccines efficiency that could be monitored using these molecular tools. The objective of IHAP virology laboratory (INRA-ENVT), the program coordinator, is to strengthen his scientific strategy which is particularly focused on the study of poultry and rabbit emerging viruses. In that aim, the laboratory used with success the NGS technologies and high throughput molecular techniques to identify new viral species or viral strains and investigate their genetic evolution. Therefore, Filavie and IHAP virology laboratory have the project to create a LabCom, namely “VIRAL”, dedicated to the design and assessment of innovating molecular biology tools for the identification and characterization of avian and rabbit viruses. Thanks to this project, Filavie will improve its industrial competitiveness and positioning and the IHAP virology laboratory will improve the relevance of its research and its connection with the industry. In the LabCom, Filavie will identify the target pathogens and the relevant biological material to be tested (vaccines or animals); the IHAP Virology laboratory will determine the relevant molecular targets and will design the strategy for the identification and typing of pathogens. These tools will be transfered to Filavie, which will take advantage of the transfered tools and know- how for its own industrial development. The IHAP Virology laboratory will publish these data in peer-reviewed journals.