The French acronym “PEPR” stands for “Programme et Équipements Prioritaire de Recherche” (Priority Research Programme and Equipment).
This program, funded by the French government to support innovative academic research in France (France 2030 program), focuses on emerging or re-emerging zoonotic pathogens with pandemic potential and being a potential threat to Europe and French territories.
The PEPR launched its first competitive research call in 2023, focused on “Global changes, human practices, and the emergence of zoonotic diseases”. In 2024, four projects were selected and presented on September 30. They aim to explore the connections between human activities, global changes, and zoonotic disease emergence, focusing on three main areas:
- 1. the role of hosts, reservoirs, and vectors in pathogen dynamics and transmission;
- 2. the sociological, economic, and environmental factors at the human/animal/environment interface;
- 3. and the cascade effects of human activities and global changes on the risks of zoonotic disease emergence.
In April 2024, a second call for projects was launched to enhance surveillance and early warning systems for zoonoses. Key focus areas include early detection of emerging zoonoses, engagement and collaboration among stakeholders, and improving dialogue between science, society, and public policies. The evaluation of the projects has been completed and the projects receiving grants will be announced soon.
In September 2024, a third call was announced, inviting proposals aimed at reducing the risk of zoonotic disease emergence. This call, which closed on 28 January 2025, focuses on identifying risk and resilience factors for prevention strategies, co-developing and assessing zoonosis prevention strategies, and understanding sociocultural factors affecting prevention efficacy and acceptability. The projects are currently being evaluated.
The grant for this work package is 25 million euros.