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The Tropical Diseases Research Program (PIET) is a confederation of research units and laboratories, comprising a multidisciplinary group of academics and scientists that promotes the research and training in tropical diseases of animals and zoonoses (animal pathogenesis that are transmitted to man) at the Central American level. PIET
is associated with the School of Veterinary Medicine (EMV) of the Faculty
of Health Sciences of the Universidad Nacional (UNA) and was created in
1988 to fill the need to integrate human and material resources through
academic and administrative coordination of distinct projects and
laboratories, thereby facilitating the development of scientific research
and promoting the promulgation of the body of knowledge generated by this
research. The overall administration of PIET is the responsibility of a
Scientific Council composed of the PIET Coordinator, the coordinators of
the associated laboratories, the Director of the School of Veterinary
Medicine and invited scientists. The Coordinator of PIET is responsible
for organising the activities of PIET whereby the common interests are
served and the independence of the laboratories and projects is respected.
The Scientific Council coordinates the activities jointly with the
Department of Research Coordination of the UNA and the School of
Veterinary Medicine. The
School of Veterinary Medicine provides PIET with physical space and the
research and technical staff. However, the research activities are
financed by international funding agencies through a competitive
application process. Other important sources of funds are contracted
research, training and diagnostic services, the earnings from which are
invested in research and education. In addition, these funds contribute to
the maintenance of the physical plant and laboratory equipment and the
purchase of scientific literature for the School library. Generally ,
these funds are administered through the UNA Foundation, a not-for-profit
body created to administer the operation of the university. PIET
consists of seven research units (Bacteriology, Entomology, Epidemiology,
Immunology, Toxicology, Virology and Zoonosis), nine laboratories
(Bacteriology, Centrifugation and PCR Unit, Molecular Biology and
Microbiology, Entomology and Ecology, Parasitology and Zoonosis,
Immunology, Virology, Toxicology, and Poultry Pathology), two
administrative offices (Coordination and Epidemiology), a laboratory
glassware kitchen, and two warehouses. In addition, PIET has access to an
animal house and a telecommunications systems which includes Internet.
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