QNRF sponsors "Endemic and Emerging Viral Infectious Diseases of Priority in MENA"

Viral diseases of priority to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to include:

• Hepatitis C
• Hepatitis E
• HIV/AIDS
• Coronaviruses, including the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)
• Flaviviruses, including Al-Khumra Virus  (ALKV)
• Other viral diseases may be included in the agenda

Types of Research:

• Basic, clinical and translational
• Public health and epidemiology
• Bioinformatics
• Social and behavioral science
• Objectives:
• To present current scientific findings and research underway
• To discuss research challenges and opportunities in the region
• To share best practices information related to viral research bio-safety and bio-security
• To facilitate current and future research collaborations between investigators and institutions in MENA and the United States. To help achieve this objective, a competitive seed-grant program will be launched, through which eligible scientists may apply for collaborative research awards.

Participants:

The majority of participants will include researchers and scientific program managers at all levels from  academic centers, governmental agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other private and public institutions  from the United States and MENA countries including: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Scientists interested in participating in this consultation must submit an abstract for an oral or poster presentation through this website​.  Abstracts received prior to the submission deadline will be peer-reviewed. Based on the merit of submitted abstracts, some individuals will be invited to participate as either speakers or poster presenters. Limited travel support will be available to selected speakers and poster presenters. 

Sponsors:

• This scientific consultation is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (HHS/NIH/NIAID) and Office of Rare Diseases (NIH/ORD), the U.S. Department of State Bio-engagement Program (BEP), the Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar (WCMC-Q) with the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) of the Qatar Foundation and the Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medical and Research Center, and Qatar's Supreme Council of Health.
• The seed grant program will be administered by CRDF-Global.

Scientific Agenda:  

The scientific program will be developed by an international Scientific Planning Committee established by the NIH/NIAID in consultation with the WCMC-Q and QNRF.