EVD-LabNet is a European expert laboratory network for emerging viral diseases.

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EVD-LabNet is a European expert laboratory network for emerging viral diseases.

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Membership

EVD-LabNet is ready to welcome participation of expert laboratories that are involved in patient diagnostics, and that support Public Health activities in liaison with research activities of (re)emerging viral diseases. These include viruses that are rare, imported and (re)emerging in EU/EEA countries. EVD-LabNet invites these laboratories to join the initiative and welcomes their comments and suggestions.

To support the participation of members to EVD-LabNet activities such as an annual network meeting, EQAs and workshops, EVD-LabNet has –within network budget limits- resources which will become available to the network members based on their relative contribution to the activities. Laboratories should sign a Memorandum of Understanding to become network member. Member laboratories commit to make any reasonable efforts to support EVD-LabNet activities on a regular basis. and as such are willing to become a member of the network.

Members of the former ENIVD network are automatically invited by e-mail in the coming weeks to join EVD-LabNet and by signing the MoU. If you were not part of the former ENIVD network but are interested to join the network, we invite you to contact the network secretariat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Membership applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:

Involvement in (reference) diagnostics of relevant pathogens
Active involvement in development of diagnostics of relevant pathogens
Involvement in inter-laboratory collaborations

Background EVD-LabNet.

In the past decade, epidemics caused by emerging viruses have demonstrated that Europe is vulnerable for the introduction of pathogens through travel and trade, sometimes followed by local transmission, and changes in spatial and temporal pattern of endemic pathogens. A prerequisite for identification, surveillance, assessment and communication of current and emerging infectious disease threats to Public Health, is the availability of a reliable capability and sufficient capacity of diagnostic and reference laboratory service. To facilitate this, ECDC has contracted Erasmus MC to establish and operate an expert laboratory network for networking, external quality assessments and training of laboratories involved in these activities.

This network will provide access to expert laboratory support to ECDC and network members regarding (re)emerging viral diseases.

The network, called “EVD-LabNet, continues the earlier collaboration “ENIVD”. EVD-LabNet creates and maintains a (pro)-active and flexible network of European expert laboratories that are involved in patient diagnostics, and that support Public Health activities in liaison with research activities of (re)emerging viral diseases. The network focuses on virus families and genera that are rare, imported and (re)emerging in EU/EEA countries. These include the genera Alphavirus, Bornavirus, Calicivirus, Coronavirus, Flavivirus, Henipavirus, Picornavirus and the families Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Filoviridae, Poxviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Reoviridae and Rhabdoviridae*.

*Risk class 4 pathogens are a primary focus of the EMERGE network

Mission EVD-LabNet.

EVD-LabNet supports patient diagnostics, surveillance and outbreak response by provision to ECDC, other European networks and member laboratories of:

access to essential background information on target viruses with a focus on scientific expertise of the viruses, their make-up, pathogenesis, physicochemical properties, and patient- and population-oriented detection and ruling out of infection.
access to (reference) diagnostics within the network.
access to state-of-the-art European diagnostic portfolio and diagnostic capacity and capability.
training courses and workshops based on needs within the network.
yearly meetings to strengthen the coherence of the network and to provide a platform for knowledge exchange.
active connection to other European emerging infectious disease preparedness and response networks, including EMERGE, EVAg, PREPARE and COMPARE.

Near future activities EVD-LabNet.

An EVD-LabNet members directory has been established for diagnostic capability and capacity for specific pathogens in Europe.
A members-only web interface will be created including a discussion platform and platform for exchange of information.
The first training course on neurotropic viruses was very successful. The training was held on 27-29 September in Thessaloniki, Greece.
The second annual network meeting took place on 9-11 October 2017 in the Netherlands

EVD-LabNet Management

EVD-LabNet is coordinated by the department of Viroscience at Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It is governed by a Management Team that, besides Erasmus MC and ECDC, is composed of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and Aix Marseille Université in France. The Management Team is advised by a Scientific Advisory Board composed of experts that were closely involved with the conception of the network. The interaction with other European preparedness and response networks is ensured through dedicated liaison officers in the management team.

Dr. Chantal Reusken

Dr. Chantal Reusken

( Erasmus MC ), coordinator

Dr. Isabelle Leparc-Goffart

Dr. Isabelle Leparc-Goffart

( Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France ), management team

Prof. Anna Papa

Prof. Anna Papa

( Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ), management team

Prof. Marion Koopmans

Prof. Marion Koopmans

( Erasmus MC ), management team, EMERGE, PREPARE, COMPARE

Prof. Rémi Charrel

Prof. Rémi Charrel

( Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France ), management team

EVD-LabNet Scientific Advisory Board

The Scientific Advisory Board advises the network management on scientific aspects of the network activities. The board consists of representatives from different European institutes:

Dr. Heinz Ellerbrok

Dr. Heinz Ellerbrok

( Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, German )

Dr. Maria Paz Sanchez-Seco

Dr. Maria Paz Sanchez-Seco

( Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain )

Dr. Roger Hewson

Dr. Roger Hewson

( Public Health England, Salisbury, England )

Prof. Åke Lundkvist

Prof. Åke Lundkvist

( Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden )

Prof. Iva Christova

Prof. Iva Christova

( National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria )

Prof. Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit

Prof. Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit

( Bernard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany )

Prof. Olli Vapalahti

Prof. Olli Vapalahti

( University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland )

Prof. Tatjana Avšič-Županc

Prof. Tatjana Avšič-Županc

( University of Ljubljana, Ljublana, Slovenia )

EVD-LabNet secretariat

The Management Team and Scientific Advisory Board are supported by Dr. Ramona Mögling at EVD-LabNet secretariat at Erasmus MC.

©EVD=LabNet 2016 // Website by Rootzone

This project receives funding from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Neither the ECDC, nor any person acting on its behalf is liable for any use made of the information published here.