PREVENT partners

The power of PREVENT is in the combined expertise of its three R&D partners, each with a different and complementary area of specialization to offer. While no single North American institution could do this alone, together, the PREVENT partnership has mobilized its collective strengths.

VIDO/InterVac - University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon

VIDO/InterVac: The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) brings preclinical research capacity (Containment Level 2 laboratory and animal facilities) and is leading development of the International Vaccine Centre (InterVac), Canada’s largest Containment Level 3 laboratory dedicated to vaccine development and capable of testing vaccines for large animals.   ...more

Canadian Center for Vaccinology - Dalhousie University
Halifax

The Canadian Center for Vaccinology (a partnership among Dalhousie University, the IWK Health Centre and Capital Health): The CCfV brings a 30,000 square foot vaccine research centre for basic translational science, epidemiology and clinical trials (Phases I-III), and implementation and evaluative policy research.   ...more

BC Centre for Disease Control - UBC
Vancouver

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) delivers prevention services and conducts research on the epidemiology, pathogenesis and control of infectious diseases and environmental hazards. The BCCDC will contribute to PREVENT through vaccine antigen discovery methods (with secured patents) for respiratory viral diseases and sexually transmitted pathogens.   ...more


Did you know?
image of BSE

A group of brain diseases, including BSE (or mad cow disease) and Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease of humans, are transmitted by "prions," which are infectious protein particles similar to a virus. BSE is carried by animal feed made from cattle brains or spinal cord, and ingestion of meat infected with the disease can cause CJD in humans. The brain of BSE-affected cows has a sponge-like appearance when tissue sections are examined in the lab.

Credit: Dr. Al Jenny.

Source: Public Health Image Library, APHIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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
portrait of lady
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]

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