German-Latin American Centre of Infection & Epidemiology Research and Training (GLACIER)

GLACIER – German-Latin American Centre of Infection & Epidemiology Research & Training is a large network encompassing 18 higher education institutions, research institutes and public stakeholders from eight Latin American countries as well as eight higher education institutions from Germany. GLACIER represents the fusion of the Berlin-led pandemiology, and the Halle-led research on immunology and bioactive compounds research. The consortium encompasses Latin American countries and higher education institutions and is synergistic in research and training efforts.

In close partnership with scientific institutions in Mexico, Cuba and Central America, the health centre follows a holistic “One Health” approach. Various disciplines – from virology to vaccine and drug research to social sciences – work together in close cooperation with national and international institutions involved in preventive health care and pandemic control. In total 35 partners in eight countries and five additional expert groups from Germany are involved in the centre.

The GLACIER multidisciplinary consortium aims to strengthen the prevention and treatment of communicable diseases and the development of new vaccines and therapies. It also aims to improve crisis preparedness, response and post-crisis care. GLACIER is operated under the joint leadership of the the Institute of Virology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Institute of Medical Immunology at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) in association with the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB). Central partner institutions in Central America are the region’s leading universities, the University of Havana (UH) and the Independent National University of Mexico (UNAM), each of which will host central research and training laboratories. The international and transdisciplinary dimension of pandemic preparedness and response will also be strengthened by 35 partners in a total of 8 Central American countries and five additional expert groups from Germany. GLACIER aims to work towards strengthening capacities in the Latin American region by (i) serving as a think tank supporting a multidisciplinary network of institutions in 8 Central American countries, (ii) helping to build local research capacity, (iii) increasing the number of well-trained experts/scientists and trainers, and (iv) engaging regional and international policy makers, enabling information dissemination and faster regional crisis response.

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