Effective response starts long before the outbreak: with strong preparedness, effective coordination, and strong research management. Join the DURABLE #MOOC Research Management in #Outbreak Preparedness and Response In this MOOC, experts from the Durable network involved in outbreak preparedness and response share practical insights on how research is organized in emergency contexts, and how coordination, regulation, ethics, logistics, technology transfer, and equity all contribute to effective and trustworthy research action. Learn from experts directly...

Three presentations highlighted the latest DURABLE WP11 meeting, showcasing how international collaboration contributed to understanding and responding to the recent Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to an expedition cruise ship. This outbreak also gave the opportunity to learn from what you need to do when there is an international outbreak. Outbreaks in that sence are a way to test the readiness to future outbreaks.  Bas Oude Munnink (Erasmus MC) opened the session with an update on the genomic investigation of the hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship between...

Image: © University of Melbourne – Josefina Vargas Professor Johan Neyts of the KU Leuven in Belgium was awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant for his groundbreaking project, titled ANTIVIRMAP (Discovery of druggable antiviral targets and replication mechanisms across viral families through chemical probing). “Viruses, known or yet to emerge, will always remain a health threat,” says Johan Neyts. “Vaccines prevent infections and antiviral drugs are needed for treatment. For most viral infections, however, such drugs do not exist nor are even...

IV DURABLE ANNUAL CONSORTIUM MEETING Dates: 28 – 30 September 2026Location: Heineken Gebouw, Rotterdam, The Netherlands From 28-30 September, the DURABLE consortium will gather in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, for the fourth and final DURABLE Annual Meeting. The event will bring together researchers, public health professionals, policymakers and project partners to reflect on four years of collaboration in strengthening pandemic preparedness across Europe. The meeting will showcase the project’s key achievements and results, highlighting advances in outbreak preparedness,...

Please attend the 4th International Conference on Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, which will be held at the Makedonia Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki, Greece, 5 -7 October 2026. The conference will provide a space to meet, report and discuss the latest trends and advances in all aspects of the virus and the disease. The event will offer a chance to network with experts in the field of viral hemorrhagic fevers. Thessaloniki is a vibrant city with more than 23 centuries of history and rich culture, and many attractive places to add to your list. The location of the congress at the...

During the latest DURABLE meeting on Friday June 19, participants discussed how the network has recently supported the rapid evaluation of diagnostic assays for emerging pathogens, illustrating the value of close collaboration between academic laboratories, reference centres and public health organisations.The meeting showcased how expertise from across the DURABLE consortium can be mobilised within a short timeframe to assess diagnostic performance, share reference materials and exchange technical knowledge. This collaborative approach helps strengthen preparedness and contributes to...

On Friday June5 2026, the WP11 network of Durable held its June meeting, bringing together experts from across Europe to discuss ongoing research on outbreaks of respiratory viruses. This time there was room for two extensive presentations: one from Delphine Planas from INSERM – IAME and Institut Pasteur from France and a presentation by from Marcel Müller from Charité, Germany.Delphine Planas presented her ongoing research on how human coronaviruses interact with the respiratory tract. Her work focuses on the role of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR), an environmental sensor that...

The outbreak of hantavirus disease caused by the Andes virus aboard a cruise ship highlights the complexity of managing an international outbreak. It serves as another reminder that preparedness cannot remain a reactive exercise initiated only during crises. The outbreak also highlights the need for sustained preparedness efforts, particularly as financial pressures threaten critical public health capacity. It underscores the gap between pathogen risk recognition and the availability of deployable medical countermeasures, reinforcing the need for an “all-of-society” approach that involves...

Date: Thursday 8 October 2026Time: 09.00 – 18.00Location: De Doelen, Rotterdam – The Netherlands This year’s congress will bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and other experts in the field, to discuss how we can best prepare ourselves for future pandemics and disasters. Register here: https://convergence.nl/event/4th-edition-of-the-pandemic-disaster-preparedness-congress/