About Zoonoses

The UPLB Program for
Zoonotic Diseases

In its 1359th meeting conducted last 25 March 2021, the University of the Philippines Board of Regents (UP-BOR) approved the creation of the UPLB Program for Zoonotic Diseases. The Program was envisioned to be a leading zoonotic diseases research and knowledge resource center in Asia contributing to the advancement of One Health through disease prevention and management. It aims to enhance capacities on zoonotic diseases detection, prevention, and response to outbreaks in protecting animal and human populations.

mission

To enhance capacities on zoonotic diseases detection, prevention, and response to outbreaks in protecting animal and human populations

vision

A leading zoonotic diseases research and knowledge resource center in Asia contributing to the advancement of One Health through disease prevention and management

values

Collegial synergy and interdisciplinary collaboration in providing solutions to address zoonotic diseases

what we aim to do

our goal

  1. Establish a national institution that provides science-based evidence to aid in understanding the epidemiology of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases, prevention and control, formulation of relevant policies, and zoonotic disease risk communication approaches, which work closely with various government agencies and non-government institutions;
  2. Strengthen capacity as an international reference laboratory for zoonotic diseases capable of advanced research and laboratory techniques at par with current global standards with local and international linkages; and
  3. Provide a proactive and dynamic health resource that contributes to public health research and education, development and strengthening of satellite disease diagnostic laboratories in key sites across the country that will improve disease surveillance and outbreak response capacities through training and other forms of support.

OUR OBJECTIVE

General:

The UPLB Program for Zoonotic Diseases aims to strengthen the country’s response towards emerging and re-emerging zoonotic infectious diseases. The Program will provide advanced and innovative research techniques on identification and characterization of viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic agents, arthropod biology and control, laboratory animal models, wildlife research, and zoonotic disease risk assessment and analysis. The project generally aims to assess the contribution of zoonotic transmission and environmental reservoirs to the burden of infectious diseases in humans in the Philippines; and to determine the most effective knowledge-led strategies for zoonotic control and elimination in endemic areas.

The UPLB Program for Zoonotic Diseases, with its multidisciplinary team, will facilitate collaborations with other institutions, government organizations, and non-government organizations towards sustainable and long-term interventions in controlling zoonotic disease outbreaks, minimizing human morbidity and mortality, promoting public and animal health, and thus preventing economic losses in the country.

Specific:

  1. Investigate the epidemiology of pathogens circulating in humans, animals, and the environment in rural and suburban locations through a field study in CALABARZON;
  2. Characterize pathogen isolates and vectors at the molecular level and identify markers for molecular epidemiology;
  3. Development of treatment, preventive, and control strategies against zoonotic pathogens, including preventive interventions to ensure public health;
  4. Develop mathematical models incorporating genetic data to quantify the contribution of zoonotic transmission and environmental reservoirs to human infection risk and predict the effects of intervention strategies; and
  5. Formulate public health policy recommendations based on model outcomes and evaluation of the socio-economic and health impacts of zoonotic infections in the Philippines.

organizational chart

KEY RESEARCH AGENDA

  1. Identification of potential sources of zoonotic pathogens and investigation of spillover events;
  2. Epidemiology and transmission dynamics of zoonotic diseases within human and animal populations;
  3. Detection and characterization of zoonotic microbial and parasitic pathogens, as well as investigation of their transmission dynamics, epidemiology, pathophysiology, pathogenesis, microbial ecology, and host immune responses;
  4. Determination of genetic basis of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR);
  5. Elucidation of biological aspects of vectors and host-vector-pathogen interface to control the transmission of vector-borne diseases;
  6. Development and validation of novel methods and technologies to facilitate faster and accurate detection of zoonotic pathogens in animals, humans, and inanimate objects (e.g. food, water, soil, and environmental samples);
  7. Assessment and development of more efficient surveillance methods for food-borne, water-borne, and vector-borne infectious diseases;
  8. Development of treatment, preventive, and control strategies against zoonotic pathogens, including preventive interventions to ensure food safety in the food supply chain; and
  9. Elucidation of the role of culture, socio-economic and environmental factors as drivers of zoonotic transmission

PUBLIC SERVICE AGENDA

  1. Serve as a national resource of data on zoonotic diseases for risk analysis and prompt disease-response, and to assist in policy making;
  2. Serve as a testing center for zoonotic diseases;
  3. Conduct trainings, workshops, and seminars on diagnosis and control of zoonotic diseases and promotion of food safety for health and allied professionals to aid in capacity building;
  4. Organize public fora to increase awareness on zoonotic diseases through risk communication, and disseminate information on prevention and control, including mitigation of food safety and environmental hazards.
  5. Develop evidence-based recommendations and policy briefs for partner government and non-government institutions.
  6. Facilitate stakeholders engagement activities in fostering local understanding and collective action towards prevention and response to outbreaks of zoonotic diseases.
  7. Design and delivery of support services for livestock producers and other stakeholders in confronting the challenges of zoonotic disease transmission.
  8. Generate sound evidence of policy options for progressive control of zoonotic disease transmission (& outcomes).
  9. Development of evidence-based, human-centered policy options, co-designed with stakeholders.