Emerging Viral Diseases-Expert Laboratory Network (EVD-LabNet)

Target viruses

The network covers viruses significant to public health from the following genera (families):

• Alphavirus (Togaviridae)
• Coltivirus (Reoviridae)
• Ebolavirus (Filoviridae)
• Flavivirus (Flaviviridae)
• Henipavirus (Paramyxoviridae)
• Lyssavirus (Rhabdoviridae)
• Mammarenavirus (Arenaviridae)
• Marburgvirus (Filoviridae)
• Orbivirus (Reoviridae)
• Orthobornavirus (Bornaviridae)
• Orthobunyavirus (Peribunyaviridae)
• Orthohantavirus (Hantaviridae)
• Orthonairovirus (Nairoviridae)
• Orthorubulavirus (Paramyxoviridae)
• Orthopoxvirus (Poxviridae)
• Parapoxvirus (Poxviridae)
• Phlebovirus (Phenuiviridae)
• Thogotovirus (Orthomyxoviridae)
• Respirovirus (Paramyxoviridae)
• Vesiculovirus (Rhabdoviridae).

Objectives

EVD-LabNet supports clinical diagnostics, surveillance, threat assessments and outbreak preparedness and response by providing essential background information on target viruses, with a focus on:

• scientific expertise concerning the viruses, their make-up, pathogenesis, physicochemical properties, and patient- and population-oriented detection/ruling out of infection;
• (reference) diagnostics;
• state-of-the-art European diagnostic portfolio, diagnostic capacity and capability;
• molecular detection and characterisation support for response and surveillance activities;
• training courses, workshops and webinars for virologists (selected training/webinars will be open to public health epidemiologists);
• twinning activities (transnational education);
• annual meetings to strengthen the coherence of the network and provide a platform to exchange knowledge

Most activities are restricted to network members but some will be open to non-network members. Check the list of activities below and register for the newsletter to be informed.

Annual network meeting

The sixth annual network meeting took place on 30-31 May 2023 in Padova, Italy. 

Newsletter

Governance

EVD-LabNet is coordinated by Dr Chantal Reusken from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

EVD-LabNet Management Team

The management team is responsible for the design and implementation of activities. The management team is composed of:

• Dr Chantal Reusken from RIVM (the Netherlands)
• Prof. Rémi Charrel from the University of Aix-Marseille (France, deputy coordinator)
• Dr Luisa Barzon from the University of Padova (Italy)
• Prof. Marion Koopmans from Erasmus MC (the Netherlands)
• Prof. Anna Papa from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)
• Prof. Olli Vapalahti from the University of Helsinki (Finland)
• Dr Tamas Bakonyi from ECDC
• Dr Céline Gossner from ECDC.

EVD-LabNet Scientific Advisory Board

The Scientific Advisory Board advises the management team on scientific aspects of the network activities. The board consists of the following representatives:

• Dr Chantal Reusken from RIVM (the Netherlands)
• Prof. Roger Hewson from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (United Kingdom)
• Dr Yaniv Lustig from the National Center for Zoonotic Viruses (Israel)
• Prof. Bruno Coutard from the University of Aix-Marseille (France)
• Dr Antonino Di Caro from the National Institute for Infectious Diseases “L. Spallanzani”, Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital and Unicamillus International Medical University of Rome (Italy)
• Prof. Martin Groschup from the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Germany)
• Dr Stephan Zientara from the Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (France)
• Dr Harold Noël from Santé publique France (France)
• Dr Cinthia Menel Lemos from the European Commission
• Dr Joanna Zwetyenga from the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe
• Dr Tamas Bakonyi from ECDC
• Dr Céline Gossner from ECDC.