Special Pathogens Program
The Special Pathogens Program (SPP) within the National Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases
and Special Pathogens aims to be among the leading high biocontainment facilities worldwide by
providing diagnostics testing and performing reference work nationally and internationally; offering
training at undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral levels; providing support of field work and
performing innovative and novel research.
SPP currently employs 5 permanent full-time Principal Investigators and 8 permanent fulltime technical staff. Another 3 persons are employed in term-limited positions. In 2009 we have
trained, or had in training, 6 Post-Doctoral students, 7 PhD students, 7 MSc students and 12
undergraduate (Co-op) students.
Research interests include investigations on the molecular biology, epidemiology,
pathogenesis and host immune responses of risk group 4 (RG4) pathogens as well as the
development of clinical modalities to cure or prevent infections (e.g. antivirals, vaccines etc.).
Additionally the development of sensitive and specific diagnostic tests and systems to detect and
monitor RG4 pathogens is also a priority, including approaches that can be used successfully in
field studies and outbreak settings. SPP collaborates extensively both nationally and internationally.
Research Collaborators
Provincial


University of Manitoba; high throughput screening of small molecules to inhibit influenza replication.
University of Manitoba; proteomics of influenza infection.




Institute Armand-Frappier; influenza virus biology, pathophysiology and immune responses.
CFIA/CL4, Ebola replication in pigs and Nipah virus physiopathology.
University of Saskatoon; porcine and bovine adenovirus as vaccine vectors.
BC Centre for Disease Control; H1N1 vaccine evaluation.





INRB, Kinshasa, DRC; field diagnostic and host of VHF infection.
Wildlife Conservation Society, Brazzaville, RC; new detection methodologies for field diagnostic.
University of Texas; clinical formulation of adenovirus-based Ebola vaccine.
University of Pennsylvania; development of a universal DNA vaccine against influenza.
University of Naples; Novel AAV for vaccine and gene therapy application.
National
International
Program highlights for 2010



Demonstrated post-exposure utility for Ad-EbolaGP , in mice, guinea pigs and nonhuman primates.
Generation of diagnostic reagents to detect CCHF, Nipah, Rift Valley, Junin and Manchupo in human samples.
Provided diagnostic training to the National Public Health Laboratories of Kenya, the Republic of the Congo
and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Publications
SPP members are authors on 11 peer-reviewed journal articles in 2010-2011. Research was
presented at national and international conferences through approximately 20 abstracts, the
majority of which were oral presentations.
Submitted by Dr. Gary Kobinger