On April 28–29, 2026, FORTIFIEDx took part in the PREPARE-EU workshop “Translating European Expertise to Pandemic Preparedness” at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, Germany. The workshop brought together 87 researchers, companies and policymakers and connected 20 European projects working on pandemic preparedness.
FORTIFIEDx was represented by Dragana Spasic from the Lammertyn lab of KU Leuven, who gave an oral presentation titled “Towards accessible diagnostics everywhere: Rapid and reliable testing for infectious diseases in underserved regions.” The presentation highlighted the project’s approach to developing rapid and reliable diagnostic solutions that can be deployed closer to patients and in settings with limited laboratory infrastructure.
The two-day workshop provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge across European pandemic preparedness initiatives and discuss how research and innovation can be translated into practical solutions for future health emergencies.