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About CoVaRR-Net

The Coronavirus Variants Rapid Response Network (CoVaRR-Net) was established in March 2021 to support Canada’s response to the evolving SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), CoVaRR-Net rapidly mobilized expertise from across the country, producing high-impact research, supporting real-time public health decision-making, and laying the groundwork for a resilient, pandemic-ready Canada.

Over its four years of operation, CoVaRR-Net overcame traditional siloed research boundaries, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and creating an enduring national infrastructure for infectious disease research. Despite its groundbreaking success, the network had to conclude operations on March 31, 2025, following the discontinuation of funding.

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Among CoVaRR-Net’s Major Achievements

CoVaRR-Net established an unprecedented national academic research network, integrating recognized top-tier experts with 130 fields of expertise from 24 universities (including all U15 institutions) and 24 other major insti­tutions.

In addition to enabling breakthrough collaborations, producing a remarkable number of publications and accelerating knowledge mobilization, including with government, CoVaRR-Net created infrastructure and built health research capacity in Canada. This included in the CoVaRR-Net Biobank, Data Platform and Bioethics, the Computational Analysis, Modelling, and Evolutionary Outcomes (CAMEO) initiative, the Canadian Consortium of Academic Biosafety Level 3 Laboratories (CCABL3), Central Laboratory Services, and the Wastewater Surveillance Research Group.

Through CoVaRR-Net’s Indigenous Engagement, Development, and Research Pillar/Major Initiative (CIEDAR), CoVaRR-Net pioneered research methodolo­gies culturally responsive to Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led pandemic response strategies.

Read CoVaRR-Net’s Final Report

CoVaRR-Net Funded Research Results

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Our Team

CoVaRR-Net brought together some of Canada’s most eminent researchers and experts from various scientific and medical disciplines linked to emerging variants. Our team was structured by themes or “pillars” that studied and analyzed different biological, epidemiological, social and societal aspects related to variants and their impacts on all Canadians, with a special focus on Indigenous communities and priority populations. We also had “major initiatives”, and teams organizing shared network resources, promoting health equity and inclusion, and providing communications and knowledge mobilization. By connecting Canadian researchers from 130 fields of expertise, this network ensured a rapid and coordinated response to emerging variants that fuel and sustain the pandemic.

Marc-André Langlois

Marc-André Langlois

Executive Director
Ninan Abraham

Ninan Abraham

Director, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
Louis Flamand

Louis Flamand

Virology
Anne-Claude Gingras

Anne-Claude Gingras

Functional Genomics & Structure-Function of VOCs
Ioannis Ragoussis

Ioannis Ragoussis

Viral Genomics & Sequencing
Kimberly Huyser

Kimberly Huyser

Indigenous Engagement, Development, and Research
Melissa Brouwers

Melissa Brouwers

Knowledge, Implementation and Training Team (KITT)
Jeremy Grimshaw

Jeremy Grimshaw

Knowledge, Implementation and Training Team (KITT)

François Jean

Antiviral Strategies and Antiviral Therapeutics
Ciriaco Piccirillo

Ciriaco Piccirillo

Immunology & Vaccine Protection Pillar Co-Lead
Jennifer Gommerman

Jen Gommerman

Immunology & Vaccine Protection Pillar Co-Lead
Jason Kindrachuk

Jason Kindrachuk

Host-Pathogen Interactions Pillar Co-Lead
Angela Rasmussen

Angela L. Rasmussen

Host-Pathogen Interactions Pillar Co-Lead
Sarah (Sally) Otto

Sarah (Sally) Otto

Computational Biology and Modelling Pillar Co-Lead
Jesse Shapiro

Jesse Shapiro

Computational Biology and Modelling Pillar Co-Lead

Cory Neudorf

Public Health, Health Systems and Social Policy Impacts Pillar Co-Lead
Nazeem Muhajarine

Nazeem Muhajarine

Public Health, Health Systems and Social Policy Impacts Pillar Co-Lead

Angela M. Crawley

Biobank Director

Amy Hsu

Data Platform Director

Robert Delatolla

Director, Wastewater Surveillance Research Group
Raphael Saginur

Raphael Saginur

Bioethics Co-Director

James Robblee

Bioethics Co-Director

This network will act as Canada’s integrated platform for determining how VOCs impact Canadians from diverse communities and demographics and for tracking how SARS-CoV-2 is mutating in real time, while evolving into a future cornerstone for pandemic preparedness in Canada.

Marc-André Langlois, CoVaRR-Net Executive Director

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