Vision
A world where every country has equitable access to sustained capacity for genomic sequencing and analytics as part of its public health surveillance system.
Mission
To create a mutually supportive global network of pathogen genomic surveillance actors that amplifies and accelerates the work of its members to improve access and equity.
About IPSN
The International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) is a global network of pathogen genomic actors, brought together by the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, to accelerate progress in pathogen genomics, and improve public health decision-making.
Pathogen genomic surveillance is the monitoring and analysis of the genetic material (the genome) of pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. This surveillance involves the collection, sequencing, and analysis of genomic information of pathogens to understand their genetic makeup, evolution, and how they spread. Pathogen genomic surveillance was used widely during the COVID-19 pandemic to track and predict the evolution of the virus itself and can be used across diseases to inform public health outcomes and prepare for future pandemics and epidemics.
The IPSN brings together organizations from across sectors, income levels and geographies with a commitment to international cooperation and equity, and deep expertise in genomics data and technologies or scale-up of surveillance systems. It sets out to create a mutually supportive global network of genomic surveillance actors that amplifies and accelerates the work of its members to improve access and equity.
Watch the IPSN Introduction Webinar to know more.
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Communities of practice to solve common challenges
At the heart of the IPSN’s work is a set of communities of practice that enable exchange between partners working on pathogen genomics. The first of these is the IPSN Community of Practice on genomics data. Its projects and deliverables aim to harmonize data standards and protocols, ensure genomics data tools are fit for purpose, and that data and benefits sharing are enhanced.
Country scale-up accelerator to align efforts and enable South-South exchange
The IPSN has established a Country Scale-Up Accelerator (CSUA) to accelerate and amplify the efforts of IPSN members to rapidly increase country capacity for pathogen genomic surveillance. The CSUA’s projects and deliverables aim to create a set of capacity-building tools as global goods, and to empower increased South-South bilateral and subregional partnerships for capacity development.
Funding to improve equity and to power IPSN projects
To ensure improved coordination and harmonization of donor efforts, the IPSN has established a funders forum, which works with the Secretariat to support IPSN activities and members including a small grants fund.
High-level advocacy and communications to keep genomic surveillance on the agenda
With active engagement of countries, partners, regional organizations and WHO, the IPSN keeps pathogen genomic surveillance on the global agenda and ensures strategic buy-in.
Global partners forum for pathogen genomics to bring partners together
The annual forum brings together key players from all IPSN entities involved in pathogen genomic surveillance, providing a high-profile stage to build partnerships, introduce innovations, socialize ideas and advocate for political and financial commitments.
Outcomes
Well-functioning disease surveillance systems, of which pathogen genomic surveillance is an integral part, lead to lives saved and economic losses averted through the reduction of the disease burden of infectious diseases. To build towards a strong disease surveillance system, IPSN members and their work will result in:
- stronger national and international surveillance systems better able to detect and characterize new threats and reduce endemic burdens;
- increased harmonization and innovation in pathogen genomics;
- increased scale and efficiency of country capacity building efforts; and
- increased political attention and financing efficiency.