Statens Serum Institut

Statens Serum Institut (SSI) is represented in the FluZooMark project by senior scientist Ramona Trebbien.

Ramona has 15 years of experience in influenza virology, and a background in investigation of the zoonotic potential of influenza viruses. She is in charge of the national virological surveillance of human influenza virus in Denmark, being the director of the National Influenza Center for the World Health Organization. As such, she has access to a unique collection of patient samples and virus isolates from historic and contemporary human influenza infections in Denmark. Her laboratory is highly experienced in multiple aspects of influenza virus, such as molecular epidemiology, evolution, and DNA vaccine development, and has, together with the highly advanced bioinformatics team at SSI, developed the Next Generation Sequencing technology for whole influenza virus genome analysis.

Ramona will be responsible for sequencing of IAV genomes from humans and pigs and for refining existing bioinformatics tools for identification and analysis of molecular markers that define host specificity etc. She will be involved in in vitro characterization of viruses and in ferret studies. Additionally, her lab will contribute by providing the DNA vaccines and complete the vaccine trials described in WP6.

SSI and University of Copenhagen are from 2020 collectively responsible for the Danish Veterinary Contingency program, including surveillance, prevention and intervention in relation to infectious diseases and biological threats, as well as related research at national and international levels. The additional collaboration imposed by the FluZooMark project is perfectly aligned with this, and will further boost this onehealth dimension. SSI will host Ramona’s group and support the FluZooMark project in terms of premises, administration and access to labs, equipment, bioinformatics, and animal experiment facilities.

Members from Statens Serum Institut