How can European research infrastructures work together to strengthen preparedness for future health emergencies? On 5 November 2026, INTERCEPTOR, EVORA and ISIDORe will bring together researchers, policymakers and international partners for a hybrid event in Brussels. Registration is open for online participation.
Entitled “From European Preparedness to Global Resilience: The Strategic Role of European Research Infrastructures”, the event is jointly organised by the three European projects, with support from the research infrastructures EVA, ERINHA and ELIXIR.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that responding effectively to emerging infectious diseases requires more than scientific excellence and available resources. It also depends on the ability to rapidly connect and mobilise expertise, biological materials, high-containment laboratories and data across institutions and borders.
For INTERCEPTOR, this challenge lies at the heart of building stronger international cooperation for pandemic preparedness and response. The Brussels event will provide an opportunity to share achievements, discuss remaining gaps and explore how complementary research capacities can contribute to a more coordinated and sustainable preparedness system.
Connecting research capacity, policy and public health
The programme will bring together scientists, research infrastructure representatives, policymakers, public health authorities, funding organisations and international partners. Four sessions will explore:
- The value of research infrastructures for society, through concrete examples of resources, expertise and services supporting public health.
- Collaboration across infrastructures, highlighting how connections between projects, networks and institutions translate into practical preparedness capacity.
- The science–policy interface, examining how research infrastructures can inform policy and bring the scientific community’s needs into international discussions.
- The future of preparedness, considering how research infrastructures can contribute to a permanent capacity for rapid research responses to emerging threats.
As Dr Audrey Richard, ERINHA’s Deputy Director and Coordinator of ISIDORe and INTERCEPTOR, explains:
“ISIDORe, EVORA and INTERCEPTOR demonstrate how cooperation between research infrastructures, both within Europe and globally, can transform fragmented capabilities into a powerful resource for global health security.”
Preparedness requires sustained investment and partnerships built before a crisis occurs. By connecting experience from European and international initiatives, this meeting will help identify priorities for the next phase of pandemic preparedness.
Date: 5 November 2026
Format: Hybrid event — Brussels and online