In a significant step toward strengthening global infectious disease surveillance and response, the Pathogen Data Network (PDN) is proud to announce the awardees of the first call for Pathogens Portal Nodes (PPNs). The PPNs are envisioned as distributed, community-led data portals that will operate at national and regional levels. They will enable researchers, public health professionals, and policymakers to discover data and services critical for effective surveillance and response. Eventually, these local nodes will be interfaced with the central Pathogens Portal, hosted by EMBL-EBI.
Local portals for tailored and regional pathogen data
The Pathogens Portal Nodes initiative is designed to empower communities by providing tailored, regional information and tools to pathogen data management, analysis and sharing, aligned with FAIR data principles. To support this, PDN will provide a reference software implementation to facilitate the rapid deployment of these nodes, each customizable to suit specific regional or national contexts.
To ensure the successful roll-out and long-term of the PPNs, PDN has also established a Community of Practice. This network brings together global experts and implementers, offering a collaborative platform for sharing experiences, gathering feedback, refining technical approaches, and discussing models for data access and reuse.
Interested in establishing a Pathogens Portal Node in your region?
Join the PDN Community of Practice to stay informed about upcoming funding opportunities, and to connect with a global network of peers.
Contact Aitana.neves@sib.swiss
A first set of awardees from across the globe
We are excited to unveil the first group of awardees who will be developing and maintaining PPNs in their regions:
Kenya
Project: Kenya Local Pathogens Portal for Enhanced Pathogen Surveillance and FAIR Data Sharing
Lead: Wallace Bulimo
This node aims to enhance the national capacity for pathogen surveillance and foster responsible data sharing practices.
Morocco
Project: Moroccan Pathogen Portal: A National Resource for Pathogen Data Integration and Research
Lead: Elmostafa El Fahima
The Moroccan PPN will integrate pathogen data across sectors to support national research and public health.
Philippines
Project: Local Pathogen Portal for Current, Emerging, and Quarantine Zoonotic Pathogens
Lead: John Bethany
This portal will prioritize zoonotic pathogens that pose both current and emerging threats in the Philippines.
Tanzania
Project: Portal of Local Priority Pathogens in Tanzania
Lead: Tolbert Sonda
Focused on pathogens of national priority, this PPN aims to improve data-driven health responses in Tanzania.
Japan
Project: Genome and Metagenome Surveillance of Virus and AMR Pathogens in Japan
Lead: Masanori Arita
Aiming to strengthen surveillance of viral and antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogens through advanced genomic technologies.
Costa Rica
Project: Local Pathogen Portal Costa Rica and CABANAnet
Leads: José Molina and Rebeca Campos
This node will support regional collaboration through CABANAnet, linking data across Latin America and beyond.
Mexico
Project: Local Pathogen Portal in Mexico
Lead: Alejandro Sanchez-Flores
The Mexican PPN will promote national data stewardship and facilitate cross-border data integration.
Chile
Project: Chilean Pathogens Portal: A National Resource for Genomic and Epidemiological Data Integration
Lead: Vinicius Maracaja-Coutinho
This initiative will bring together genomic and epidemiological datasets to inform public health policy and research in Chile.
Workstreams involved: WS1 Pathogens Portals