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MOBILISE Kicks Off First Mission in Austria

© AGES/Hlous – Symposium held on May 6th, which brought together national and international experts

As the EU-funded MOBILISE project launches its first mission in Austria, the spotlight is on a 11-tonne mobile lab designed to detect and prevent potential outbreaks across Europe and Africa. But what does this ambitious initiative mean for public health – and why start in Austria?

On April 17, 2025, the MOBILISE truck – a sizeable lab on wheels – arrived at the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) in Mödling, Austria, where it was seen in action for three weeks. Outfitted with cutting-edge diagnostic tools, the lab is capable of analysing human, animal, and environmental samples. But what’s the objective here, you might ask? A rapid response to emerging health threats, leveraging real-time data to pre-empt potential outbreaks.

AGES, the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, is Austria’s leading public and veterinary health institute, bridging the gap between human, animal, and environmental health – a perfect setting to test MOBILISE’s One Health approach.

“Mobilising” Expertise

In partnership with AGES, BNITM, and AIT, the MOBILISE mission—part of the EU-funded MOBILISE project led by BNITM—brought together scientists and trainers to ensure seamless operations on the ground. Two expert trainers from BNITM were also on site to guide local lab operators through the mobile lab’s complex protocols.

“One of the goals of this project is to build a team of experts capable of operating the MOBILISE lab across different parts of Europe,”

said Ayrse Melo Martins, one of the senior BNITM trainers.

“To achieve this, we used a Training of Trainers (ToT) approach in Hamburg, where two experts from each partner institution were trained in detail. They then took on the role of trainers during the field mission. This approach not only develops skilled operators, but also fosters knowledge sharing and continuously strengthens our expert network.”

Engaging local stakeholders

Beyond lab work, the mission aimed to engage a broader audience. A symposium held on May 6th brought together national experts to discuss the implications of a mobile One Health lab, while a trial run on May 13th, and a series of workshops invited local authorities to test the lab’s functions as well as key decision-making tools, including the Decision Support System (DSS) dashboard. The visual dashboard is designed to enhance communication between stakeholders and guide coordinated actions in the event of a real outbreak.

The Austrian Trial

© AGES/Hlous – Operator collecting a sample during the Austrian trial on May 13th.

On May 13th, trained operators and national authorities took part in a simulated outbreak scenario designed to test emergency response capacity.

The exercise centered around a fictional case in which a farmer is bitten by a Hyalomma tick and begins to show symptoms. Ticks collected from the site were sent to AGES for analysis, while simulated blood samples confirmed the presence of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV).

Following this, the Ministry of Health and relevant public health authorities were alerted to initiate response protocols. The MOBILISE lab was deployed to the affected farm to carry out comprehensive testing of human contacts (via simulated samples) and livestock, including cattle. Additional tick samples were gathered from surrounding fields for further analysis.

All data was logged in the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), and the DSS dashboard enabled real-time communication and strategic coordination among key stakeholders.

The primary goal of the exercise was to evaluate the operational readiness of the mobile laboratory, test its diagnostic capabilities in a local context, and refine communication and response protocols for future outbreaks.

What’s Next?

Austria is just the first stop. The mobile lab has since headed to Germany and Greece, with Tanzania as its endpoint. Each mission aims to test the lab’s diagnostic capabilities under varying conditions to refine systems, gather data, and collect stakeholder feedback – all crucial for scaling the initiative across Europe and Africa.

For ongoing updates, stay connected to the MOBILISE project website. The road ahead is long, but with each mission, the project gets closer to redefining outbreak prevention in the EU and beyond.

Want to learn more about the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety? Visit:

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