As part of the series of initiatives to find solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) are announcing the creation of the Québec COVID Network (QCN). The new network was established in response to the strong mobilization of members of the research community, who, over the past few weeks, have submitted over 150 research and innovation proposals to the working group assembled by the FRQ, Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation and Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.
The primary objective of the QCN is to create a space for close collaboration to coordinate research efforts, prioritize actions and accelerate discoveries and their applications for SARS-CoV-2. It will also foster intersectoral knowledge sharing and bring together and lead the driving forces in research and innovation to take on the numerous and complex issues surrounding the pandemic. The network constitutes an exceptional measure in response to the current crisis. Based on future needs, it could also serve as the cornerstone for other projects aiming to efficiently respond to eventual situations requiring the rapid mobilization of the biomedical community.
The Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS) is currently finalizing the implementation of a coordination unit to launch the QCN and whose first mandate will be to optimize the alignment with the FRQS’s thematic networks and the efforts in which they are engaged. The unit will be jointly led by Nathalie Grandvaux of the CHUM Research Centre, François Lamontagne of the Centre de recherche du CHU de Sherbrooke and Vincent Dumez of the Centre of Excellence on Partnership with Patients and the Public.
The Québec COVID Network is created in addition to the Québec COVID Biobank to combat COVID-19, which was announced on March 26.
Information:
- Carole Jabet
Scientific Director
Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé
[email protected]
This article was first published on 2 April by Research Funds Québec.
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