Professor Christine Carrington, a UWI academic and researcher who played a pivotal role in the national and regional strategy to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, will represent the university on the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) International Pathogen Surveillance Network (ISPN). ISPN is a global network created to improve infectious disease surveillance using pathogen genomics.
“The IPSN is a network of institutions convened by the WHO to focus on accelerating progress in pathogen genomics, especially as it relates to improving public health decision- making,” says Professor Carrington, who is a Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology
By joining the ISPN, Prof Carrington said, The UWI is aligning itself with a global initiative aimed at strengthening infectious disease surveillance and response - a positive move that demonstrates the university’s commitment to international collaboration and its proactive approach to addressing public health challenges through advanced pathogen genomics.
As the representative of UWI St Augustine at ISPN, Prof Carrington said she and her team will be “engaging in initiatives, fostering collaborations and sharing knowledge that contribute to the advancement of public health and the network’s objectives, vision, and goals”.
Members of the ISPN include governmental and non- governmental organisations, academic institutions, private sector associations, and philanthropic foundations. The secretariat is based at the WHO Berlin Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Germany.
Prof Carrington representing the university at the ISPN was not the only recent news for The UWI virologist. In May, she received the Global Virus Network’s (GVN’s) inaugural Regional Excellence in Leadership Award (Caribbean and Latin America). The award was bestowed at the GVN’s Regional Meeting on May 1-2 in Kingston, Jamaica.
“Professor Carrington is a beacon of scientific leadership in the Caribbean and beyond,” said Dr Sten Vermund, GVN Chief Medical Officer and Dean of the University of South Florida College of Public Health.
Prof Carrington was awarded for “her groundbreaking contributions to viral genomics and leadership in advancing regional pandemic preparedness”, a report from GVN read.
“I feel very honoured,” Prof Carrington said. “It’s especially nice to be recognised by your peers. The GVN is a network of research laboratories and fellow scientists from all over the world, so to have received an award from them is very special.”
UWI St Augustine’s Faculty of Medical Sciences is a GVN affiliated centre of excellence due to the faculty’s strong virology research in areas such as emerging viruses, virus evolution, and molecular genetics. They also align on a “One Health” approach to the prevention and treatment of diseases.
The team at FMS works closely with the GVN affiliated centre at UWI Mona and collaborates with GVN on several regional and international initiatives, including the GVN’s Virtual Biobanking Initiative.
Asked about the recognition she has received following her outstanding work in helping to manage the pandemic, she said it has been a very “humbling and rewarding experience”.
“As basic scientists, our work does not usually find immediate practical applications,” she said. “So being in a position where our expertise and experience was needed was a new for me. The attention meant that UWI’s relevance and skills were showcased and this brought new collaborations, research and funding opportunities.”
