About us
Board of Directors | PREVENT founders | Management team
Potter | Halperin | Brunham
PREVENT is led by a team of internationally recognized authorities on infectious diseases from the primary partner organizations – VIDO/Intervac, BCCDC and CCfV. Each has an impressive body of work that creates the foundation for on-going excellence and achievement under the PREVENT banner.
Dr. Potter initiated VIDO's partnership with the University of British Columbia in developing the world's first vaccine to protect food and water from E. coli O157:H7, and was the first to develop a licensed animal vaccine through the use of biotechnology. ... more
Under Dr. Halperin's leadership CCfV's integrated, multidisciplinary research program brings together investigators from diverse disciplines to focus on vaccine discovery and evaluation – research that takes basic science to marketable product – from vaccine safety and efficacy studies, to evaluation research, encompassing clinical trials as well as vaccine program and policy evaluation. ... more
Under Dr. Brunham's leadership the BCCDC proved especially crucial in the successful containment of SARS in 2003 and was co-lead in sequencing the SARS genome and fast tracking the development of three SARS vaccines. ... more
Did you know?
Escherichia coli (E. coli), is a bacterium commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded animals. Most E. coli strains are harmless and are part of the normal beneficial flora of the gut, but some, such as serotype O157:H7, can cause serious food poisoning in humans. Ingestion of contaminated water or food is the usual causes of illness from E. coli.
BACKGROUNDER
Immunization:
Inoculation and Vaccination
Inoculation (also known as variolation) was introduced to the west by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762), who witnessed inoculation being
practiced by physicians in Constantinople,[12] and was greatly impressed:[13] she had lost a brother to smallpox and bore facial scars from the disease herself. In 1718 she had the embassy surgeon inoculate her son, and in 1721, after returning to England, had her daughter inoculated[14]. In 1722 the Prince of Wales' daughters received inoculations[16].
The practice of inoculation slowly spread amongst the royal families of Europe, followed by general adoption amongst the rest of the population. Given the severe consequences of smallpox in Europe in the 18th century, many parents felt that the benefits outweighed the risks and so inoculated their children.[21] [22]
... more
