Ginkgo and CGIAR International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Announce Collaboration On Pathogen Surveillance
August 24 2023
We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) with the intent to collaborate on pandemic surveillance work.
Through ILRI, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries while ensuring better lives through livestock cultivation. ILRI plans to work closely with Ginkgo Biosecurity to identify and mitigate pathogens and diseases that originate in animals and livestock.
As part of this agreement, Ginkgo and ILRI/CGIAR aim to develop a joint biosurveillance and pathogen testing program. They will begin with a pilot phase designed to utilize wastewater testing focused on key pathogens and antimicrobial resistant genes through passive monitoring systems beginning in Nairobi, Kenya.
Additionally, Ginkgo and ILRI/CGIAR plan to establish sequencing-based activities for pathogen identification and characterization, and bioinformatics support. As Ginkgo and ILRI/CGIAR continue their partnership, data from these programs could be shared with national and international stakeholders to continue critical advancements towards global biosecurity.
