At this year’s ESCAIDE conference, hosted by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the MOBILISE project led a compelling side session on the critical role of mobile laboratories in outbreak response and disease surveillance. The session attracted over 250 participants, both online and in person, and featured a lively discussion with an engaging Q&A session.
The panelists presented diverse mobile lab initiatives from Europe, Canada, East Africa, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), showcasing how these laboratories are designed to operate under varied conditions and address specific diagnostic challenges:
- Europe’s MOBILISE Lab: A One Health mobile laboratory providing sustainable solutions to diagnose Risk Group 4 pathogens in remote locations.
- Canada’s Arctic-Ready Lab: A mobile lab specialized for deployment in extreme climate conditions, such as the Arctic.
- East Africa’s Modular Labs: Part of the East African Community (EAC) network, these labs respond to cross-border outbreaks of Risk Group 3 and 4 pathogens.
- MSF’s Outbreak Lab: A rapidly deployable lab tailored for diagnostics during disasters and crises.
The discussion addressed critical gaps in outbreak response, highlighted the advantages of mobile labs across the globe, and explored the challenges of implementing and sustaining them within national systems. Panelists also shared insights on the similarities and differences between these initiatives and their role in advancing global health.
We thank the panelists and participants for their valuable contributions to this engaging dialogue, which underscores the importance of mobile laboratories in outbreak preparedness and response.
Find out more about the MOBILISE project and its contributions to One Health and pandemic preparedness on our website!