Author Archives: HM Government

APHA has received $100,000 in the AgResults’ Brucellosis Vaccine Prize competition, aimed at incentivising the development of a vaccine that is effective, safe and viable for use against Brucella melitensis in small ruminants across the developing world.

The award is for Phase 1 of the vaccine development and was given based on the agency’s scientific soundness, suitable research and appropriate manufacturing capabilities.

The team, led by Dr John McGiven, is now working on Phase 2, by developing a proof of concept vaccine that meets efficacy and safety requirements.

The Brucellosis Vaccine Prize competition is designed, funded and managed by AgResults, and implemented by the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed). The competition has three phases and could run for up to 10 years.

A total of $30 million is available to entrants, with 3 milestone payments at different stages, potentially adding up to the total of $26 million for one entrant. See the the competition’s website.

Brucellosis is a costly disease that affects many animals including ruminants (for example cattle, sheep, goats and buffalo) and causes abortions, infertility and decreased milk production.

It is endemic in a number of developing countries, and the toll on smallholder farmers in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly devastating.

Wholesale vaccination of livestock can be a cost-effective way of controlling the disease and limiting its impact on both human and animal health.

However, the existing brucellosis vaccines are not safe or efficacious enough to use effectively in developing countries. Current vaccines are unsafe for use in pregnant animals, have variable efficacy, and can harm humans.

The most protective vaccines also cause cross reactions in diagnostic tests for the disease. A new vaccine that addresses these shortcomings would deliver lasting benefits to human and animal health.

Dr John Mc Given, R&D Project Leader at the OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis at APHA said:

We feel the AgResults competition elevates recognition of the significance of this insidious and debilitating disease. For many years we have been focusing on improved methods for the serodiagnosis of brucellosis and this research revealed to us a route towards a new type of vaccine against brucellosis. This competition gave us additional incentive to pull these innovative concepts together in the belief that we can make a big difference to brucellosis control.

Andrew Soldan, Head of APHA Scientific (the commercial services of APHA) said:

I think the prize competition is a fantastic idea; in the discussions I’ve already had with vaccine companies it has created a level of interest which I think is a testament to the fact that it’s already started to have an effect. It’s certainly raised the level of interest within the industry, both the research community and the vaccine companies.

To find out more about the award, listen to Andrew Soldan’s interview on the competition’s website.

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Checklist issued for use with CLA EC-CLAIM 1 on civil escape case billing in CLA cases.

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The British Consulate General in Jerusalem is seeking bids for a consultancy position focussed on gender issues in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The consultant will provide policy advice and make recommendations on possible gender-focussed programme interventions for the upcoming financial year, beginning in April 2018.

The successful bidder will be expected to deliver:

• Quarter 1 of the project: provide detailed recommendations on areas of gender equality policy focus for the Consulate, based on a thorough literature review.

• Quarter 2 of the project: provide a market analysis of existing gender programme interventions by international and domestic donors in the OPTs.

• Quarter 3 of the project: provide recommendations for future areas of gender-specific programming for British government’s programme portfolio in the OPTs, including analysis of potential partners’ capabilities.

• Quarter 4 of the project: provide further recommendations to ensure gender is effectively mainstreamed throughout the BCG programmes portfolio.

During the course of the consultancy, the candidate will also provide advice and support for the Consulate’s participation in International Women’s Day.

The ideal candidate will meet the following criteria:

• A graduate degree and experience working on development and gender-focussed projects

• Experience in writing research papers and reports

• A good knowledge of legal and social issues surrounding gender in the OPTs and surrounding countries

• Familiarity with organisations active in the field of women’s rights and gender issues.

• Enthusiastic, self-starter, team-player, knowledgeable about the legal and social environment of the OPTs.

• Fluent English and Arabic.

• Able to travel around the West Bank and, ideally, to Jerusalem.

Working arrangements

The successful consultant will mainly work remotely, away from the Consulate, using their own IT and other equipment. However, regular engagement with Consulate staff by telephone and in face to face meetings will be expected.

To apply:

Please send the following to: BritishConsulate-General.JerusalemHR@fco.gov.uk, no later than 23.59pm on Thursday 9 November. Late applications will not be considered.

• An up to date Curriculum Vitae which is no longer than three pages in length and includes two referees.

• A statement of suitability, no longer than one page in length.

• An example of previous written work. This could include relevant research or other policy work.

• An activity based budget. This should break down the costs of the consultancy by activity in as much detail as possible. The budget should also indicate in what month of the consultancy the expenditure is expected to occur.

• A short narrative accompaniment to the activity based budget, explaining how activity lines relate to the overall deliverables.

It is anticipated that the maximum budget for the consultancy will be £19,000, with a maximum duration of four months. The budget should cover all anticipated costs, such as transportation.

Short listed candidates will be invited to a short telephone interview on Thursday 16 November, with the selected candidate expected to start work on Monday 20 November.

On appointment, the successful candidate will be provided with a copy of the Consulate’s internal gender sensitivity review of our existing programme portfolio.

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