Scientific Strategy
Research safety is our foundation. Our complete safety framework and guidelines are available below.
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Pathogens we study
ERINHA focuses on highly pathogenic emerging and re-emerging agents which require high containment – Biosafety level 4 and complementary facilities.
| Agent | Existing diagnostics | Prevention | Therapeutic intervetions | Mortality rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ebola | Standardised molecular testing | Clinical phase trials | Clinical phase trials | Up to 90% |
| Marburg | Standardised molecular testing | No vaccine | No therapeutic intervention | Up to 88% |
| Lassa fever | Standardised molecular testing | No vaccine | Ribavirin | Up to 15% |
| CCHF Crimean Congo | Standardised molecular testing | No vaccine | No therapeutic intervention | Up to 40% |
| NIPAH / HENDRA | No standardised molecular testing | Equine vaccine, no human vaccine | No therapeutic intervention | Up to 75% |
| Unknown Agent | Tests not produced yet | No vaccine | No therapeutic intervention | Unknown |
| Bacteria | Standardised molecular testing | Vaccine prevalence decreasing | Increasing resistance to thereapeutics | About 1.8 million deaths per year |
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Strategic overview
ERINHA helps scientists study dangerous diseases safely in specialized laboratories meant for studying subjects that have no known cures or vaccines. Our work supports research that:
- Discovers and studies new disease-causing agents
- Finds out how diseases affect the human body
- Develops new treatments and prevention methods
- Creates better ways to detect and diagnose diseases
This range of research areas helps us better understand and fight dangerous diseases that could affect public health.
We align our research priorities with the World Health Organization’s Blueprint – a list of diseases that need urgent research attention due to their potential to cause serious outbreaks. This helps us focus our resources where they’re needed most.
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Research fields
Diagnostic capabilities
We maintain and develop ways to detect new disease threats as they emerge globally. This includes creating and sharing testing methods with the scientific community, setting up rapid diagnostic capabilities, and gathering data about how diseases spread. We combine input from universities and industry with advanced techniques like genetic sequencing to keep improving our diagnostic tools.
Understanding disease
Our work focuses on understanding how diseases affect the body and how we can protect against them. We develop tools to study immune responses, discover and test potential vaccines using animal studies, and explore new treatment possibilities. This knowledge helps us develop better ways to control infections.
Developing interventions
We study diseases through various research models, from laboratory tests to animal studies. This includes examining how diseases survive in different conditions – whether in bodily fluids or on environmental surfaces – and understanding how they spread through different hosts and carriers.
Deploying to communities
We help bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and practical solutions. This includes supporting clinical trials, testing how well existing treatments work against new threats, evaluating disinfectants, and developing real-world infection control measures.
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Desired outcomes
Our efforts help scientists achieve crucial health security goals:
- Diagnostic Tools
- Vaccines
- Therapeutics
- Increased knowledge
- Evidence-based infection control
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Facility safety levels
Labs have four safety levels (BSL1-4), like steps on a safety ladder:
- BSL1: Basic labs for studying safe materials
- BSL2: Added protection for moderate-risk materials
- BSL3: Specialized containment for dangerous diseases that can spread through the air
- BSL4: Maximum security for the most dangerous known diseases
ERINHA connects researchers with Europe’s highest-level labs (BSL3 and BSL4). These special facilities are designed to study diseases that have no current treatments or vaccines, while keeping researchers, the public, and the environment safe.
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Ethical guidelines
ERINHA is fully aware of the sensitive nature of its field of expertise and of the responsibilities that come with it. It is therefore of the utmost importance for the infrastructure and its members to address all ethical issues raised by their activities, especially those related to:
- Conducting scientific research
- In vivo work
- The use of biological agents
- Collecting personal & sensitive data
- Responsible Research& Innovation (RRI)
Our Ethical Guidelines describe the global ethical framework for all ERINHA activities and specify the regulations that ERINHA Members must comply with at a national level.
These guidelines apply to ERINHA and its Members, as well as the Users of the infrastructure, who are expected to endorse and adopt the same level of ethical standards.
Since 2008, we’ve brought together Europe’s safest laboratories to help scientists study dangerous diseases. The EU recognizes us as an important organization that helps keep people safe.