Project plan
Call under the operational programme "Environmental quality' - OPKZP-PO3-SC313-2017-31
Mediation Authority: Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic
www.op-kzp.sk
Name of the demand-oriented project: Ministry of Health SR managed management of COVID-19 emergencies
Amount of non-repayable financial contribution: EUR 2 438 317,44
Applicant: Ministry of Health Slovakia
Partner: Comenius University in Bratislava
- - Science Park of Comenius University in Bratislava
- - Jesseni Medical Faculty of Comenius University in Martin
Period of implementation: May 2020 - April 2021 (with possibility of extension)
The project is co-financed by the European Union
European Regional Development Fund
Introduction:
The project aims to create its own diagnostic set for the detection of coronavirus (qPCR diagnostic set) from Slovak sources and components that can be produced in Slovakia. At the same time, the aim is to ensure and support both Slovak health professionals, forces and industry, while maintaining Slovakia's self-sufficiency in having sufficient number of tests to be used according to needs. The project will also strengthen the allocation of test sites throughout Slovakia, while keeping biological material for future testing needs. This will allow the project to increase the testing capacity for further SARS-Cov-2 waves. At the same time, by archiving samples, it will contribute to a global initiative aimed at identifying the virus in more detail, mutations and developing new, faster and more effective methods of diagnosis and therapy.
The Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic is involved in the implementation of the project as an applicant who will be responsible for the purchase of components needed to create a diagnostic set and will also be responsible for project management.
As a partner, Comenius University in Bratislava will participate in the implementation of the project through its organizational units:
- University Science Park Bratislava (hereinafter referred to as "UVP"), which is a specialised research and development workplace of the Comenius BA University with a priority focus on biomedicine, enviro-medicine and biotechnology, has the professional capacity and experience of implementing many home and international projects
- The Jesseni Medical Faculty of Martin (hereinafter referred to as JLF UK), which is of supra-regional importance, has established the BioMed Research Centre, the Competence Centre and several centres of excellence. JLF UK has workplaces equipped with modern technology and provides expertise in research and education activities. The Faculty also has experience in participating in the implementation of projects from domestic and foreign grant schemes.
The project partner will be involved in the analysis of viral RNA (Ribonucleic Acid - Genetic Material of the Virus) and related molecular-biological research and storage of samples needed for further research in the field of diagnosis and treatment of Covid-19.
The partners of the project will cooperate with the Public Health Office, which is the main body within the Slovak Republic in professional, methodical management, guidance and possible control of activities in the field of state administration and in crisis situations of public health protection plays a key role. The Public Health Office does not participate financially in this project, but will cooperate to provide reference samples for testing for the needs of this project.
Main project activity:
Optimising systems, services and strengthening intervention capacities for emergency management at local and regional level will be implemented in an estimated amount of EUR 2 489 807,90. It includes the purchase of tangible and intangible assets, the necessary personnel expenditure and expenditure to ensure the publicity of the project. The main activity will be ensured through four sub-activities:
Subactivity 1 - Extension of the testing network of organizations to JLF UK Martin
The existing system testing infrastructure in Bratislava, Banská Bystrica and Košice will be optimized and expanded by JLF UK (with sufficient equipment). JLF UK will test the samples using the classic qPCR response, for which the laboratory has prepared within the framework of Clinical Microbiology. The laboratory has the possibility of testing not only with qPCR, but also with the possibility of testing total antibodies or rapid PCR tests. The samples will be provided by the workplace itself. It has a trained sampling unit, which was part of the mobile sampling units within the Žilina Self-Governing Region. It will use kites produced and delivered within the project as well as other material to be used for the treatment of residual samples from sampling tubes by NGS (Next Generation Sequening).
Subactivity 2 – Ensuring qPCR diagnostic set COVID-19
The activity contributes to the specific objective of providing the special equipment necessary for early and effective intervention by providing special consumables and reagents in the form of a diagnostic set for rapid and reliable testing for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Tests will be available to all testing sites within Slovakia as appropriate.
Subactivity 3 – Sequence of SARS-CoV-2 isolates
Sequencing of whole SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated in Slovak patients and monitoring of new mutations in order to describe the complete RNA of the virus occurring in Slovakia's conditions will be necessary for the evaluation of diagnostic parameters of the diagnostic set and for the ongoing verification of the reliability of the design. The project foresees the sequencing of more than 300 isolates stored at the Public Health Office.
Partially or fully refurbished versions of the genome will be added to the GISAID database (Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data).
Subactivity 4 - Biobanking COVID-19
The activity will ensure that isolated virus RNA is archived for further research on response to virus behaviour and development of a guide to procedures and recommendations for future diagnosis and proposed therapies. The guide will be intended for the professional public. JLF UK has experience with biobanking, this topic has been in cooperation with MZ SR for more than 3 years. It plans to build a hybrid biobank in this area, one of the national biobanking points. Research on COVID-19 is of immense importance to public health. Several countries in the world have reached a common consensus that the biobanking of COVID-19 samples is a priority over biobanking of other samples. Sufficient quality, adequately collected and stored samples of biological material are particularly relevant for the development of substances with teraputic potential and for the development of the vaccine.
Information and publicity for the whole project will be provided by the applicant of MZ SR through the provision of publication of an expert article on the project, the provision of a temporary billboard and a permanent information board located at the premises of the applicant and the premises of the project partners - financed under indirect project expenditure. Information about project implementation will also be presented on the websites of the applicant and project partner.