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Who we are

The unCoVer project, Unravelling Data for Rapid Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19, started in November 2020 and it will run for 24 months until November 2022. Coordinated by Prins Leopold Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde (Belgium), it is composed of 29 partners across 18 countries worldwide.

What we aim

unCoVer is a functional network of partners capable of harvesting real-world data derived from the response and provision of care to patients by the health systems across Europe, and internationally during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Specific aim
1) To bring together European and international expertise and data to synchronize research efforts in addressing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
2) To continuously monitor, identify, and facilitate the access and use of COVID-19-related RWD to fully exploit the strength of the data being accumulated routinely as a reflection on common medical practices.
3) To identify data gaps, and underrepresented populations and proactively seek synergies with complementary existing and planned clinical databases related to COVID-19.
4) To provide a platform for the use of dissimilar data sources capable of streamlining ethical and legal aspects, and anticipating the needs for data harmonization by innovative computational resources and integrated information for enhanced impact.
5) To bring together expertise on the use of advanced computational, epidemiological and biostatistical methods to handle heterogeneous, and multi-layered information in order to facilitate rapid queries and robust findings related to SARS-CoV-2 infection, underlying drivers of COVID-19 prognosis, the safety and effectiveness of treatments, and sequelae, as well as the impact of COVID-19 in health system resources.
6) To broadcast the use and results of the platform to attract new partners and to pursue complementarity with existing similar networks in Europe and internationally to save lives and optimize resources.
unCoVer ico
unCoVer's committees and substructures

Our network’s efforts depend on a team of highly motivated individuals which are organized in the following substructures:

The Steering Committee consists of one senior representative of each partner and is the ultimate decision-making body of the consortium. The SC meets at least twice a year.

José L. Peñalvo, ITM
José María Castellano, FiHM
Ernestina Menasalvas, UPM
Paul Nguewa, UNAV
David Pereira, U.Porto
Paul Hynds, TU Dublin
Zubair Kabir, UCC
Lucia Maria Lotrean, UMF Cluj
Antigona Trofor, UMF IASI
Michel Vaillant , LIH
João Fernandes, UCP
Marek Majdan, TU
Ana Lucia Baltazar, IPC
Joan B Soriano, SERMAS FIBHLPR
Lucia Llanos, IIS-FJD
Polychronis Kostoulas, UTH
Jorn Klein, USN
Dora Buonfrate, IRCCS SCDCH
Brecht Devleesschauwer, Sciensano
Jakov Vukovic, CIPH
Miran Coklo, INANTRO
Seval Akgun, BU
Silvia Riva, SMUC
Mary Elizabeth Tamang, ULSS 6
Seok-Jun Yoon, KU
Miguel Reina, USF
Paula Andrea Diaz , UdeA
Fernando Rosado, ASPEUR
Enisa Ademovic, UNSA

The General Assembly is the supervisory body of the consortium, responsible for the execution of the Project. The GA is led by the Coordinator and the Work Package Leaders (WPLs) and meets every month. Task Leaders (TLs) assist the WPLs in planning, managing and performing their respective tasks in the WP context.

WP1 | Data identification | José L. Peñalvo, ITM
WP2 | Ethics & Data protection | Zubair Kabir, UCC
WP3 | Data harmonisation | Ernestina Menasalvas, UPM
WP4 | Data analysis | José M. Castellano, UNAV
WP5 | Dissemination | David Pereira, U.Porto
WP6 | Coordination | José L. Peñalvo & Gloria Soriano, ITM

The Management Support Team assists and facilitates the work of the GA and the Coordinator. The MST members are always invited to participate in General Assembly meetings.

Elly Mertens, ITM
Silvia Riva, SMUC
Joan B Soriano, SERMAS FIBHLPR

The Exploitation & Dissemination Committee consists of several senior members of each WP. Experts in the domain of communication are also part of this Committee. The EDC is responsible for identifying potential areas of exploitation and providing scientific guidance to the Steering Committee. Members of the EDC meet at least quarterly.

José L. Peñalvo, ITM
Ernestina Menasalvas, UPM
Alejandro Rodríguez González, UPM
David Pereira, U.Porto
Tiago Pinto, U.Porto
Marek Majdan, TU
Polychronis Kostoulas, UTH
Jorn Klein, USN
Knut Jul Meland, USN
Miriam Saso, Sciensano

The Data Protection & Ethics Advisory Board consists of external experts in the domain of data protection and ethics. The role of this advisory board is to provide feedback and assess how partner’s monitor GDPR, data protection, information security requirements, and other the ethical challenges that may arise from the project execution. DP-EAB meetings are convened every 2 months throughout the duration of the project.

Ricard Martínez, University of Valencia
Thomas Jaenisch, University of Heildelberg
Claire Collins, Irish College of General Practitioners

The External Advisory Board is formed by experts in the domain of the network: representatives of health authorities, health care providers, academia and representatives of patient’s associations. This board provides advice and guidance regarding the project’s development and the appropriate exploitation activities and strategies to ensure the maximum impact of the project. The EAB members meet annually with the SC.

John Hurst, University College London
Piero Olliaro, University of Oxford
Evelina Tacconelli, Universita Degli Studi di Verona
Hanna Tolonen, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
Juan Ramón González, Barcelona Institute for Global Health

The Societal & Regulatory Advisory Board (SRAB) is composed by several key players from the regulatory, governance and civil society level. The SRAB advises the consortium regarding the best strategies towards exploitation of project results. The members of this board meet annually with the SC.

LongCovidSOS
Dirk Hadrich, European Commission, Research & Innovation
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