ISTITUTO ZOOPROFILATTICO SPERIMENTALE DELL'ABRUZZO E DEL MOLISE G CAPORALE (IZS-Teramo)

The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "Giuseppe Caporale" (IZSAM) is a public health institution with managerial and administrative autonomy. It serves as a technical-scientific instrument for the state and the regions of Abruzzo and Molise. IZSAM contributes to human well-being through the application of veterinary sciences, utilizing the One Health approach to address public health needs. This is achieved through ongoing research and experimentation within the integrated system of animal health and welfare, food safety, human health, and environmental protection. The Ministry of Health has designated IZSAM as a National Reference Center and National Reference Laboratory in specific areas. Additionally, international organizations like WHO, FAO, and WOAH have appointed IZSAM as a Collaboration Center and Reference Laboratory in specific fields. Specifically, among its numerous centers, IZSAM hosts the WOAH Reference Laboratory for West Nile Fever, the FAO Reference Center for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, and the National Reference Center for Genomic Sequences of Pathogenic Microorganisms: database and bioinformatics analysis. Within the Yellow4Flavi project, IZSAM will contribute to evaluate the role of USUV E and M proteins in conferring protection against WNV in mice, in order to increase knowledge about the antibodies cross-reactivity and the pre-existing immunity. By generating chimeric viruses using reverse genetics, we aim to investigate how the evolution of USUV E and M proteins influence epitope exposure, immune response, and protection against WNV.