Data‑driven training of virus experts for better epidemic intelligence

Emerging and re emerging viral infections continue to threaten public health and healthcare systems worldwide. The COVID 19 pandemic made clear that Europe needs stronger capacity to detect new pathogens early, understand who is most at risk, and rapidly translate data into effective public health action.
The DETECTIVE project is a Marie Skłodowska Curie Doctoral Network. The DETECTIVE network will train 14 doctoral candidates (DCs) to become the next generation of experts in epidemic virology and intelligence. DETECTIVE will start in September 2026 and will run for four years.

Project goals

DETECTIVE will build an integrated, Europe‑wide framework for epidemic intelligence on viral infections. The project combines:

• advanced diagnostics and next‑generation sequencing
• AI based-virus culture and organoid models
• host‑response and population‑level studies
• wastewater and blood donor (sero-)surveillance
• AI‑based modelling and decision‑support tools

The goal is to strengthen Europe’s ability to:

• Detect new and evolving viral threats earlier and more accurately
• Understand host and population risk for severe disease
• Respond faster with evidence‑based clinical and public‑health measures

Consortium

DETECTIVE is an interdisciplinary and intersectoral network involving 8 beneficiaries and 14 associated partners across five European countries. The network is coordinated by the University of Turku (Finland). It will train 14 doctoral candidates in five countries: Finland (5), the Netherlands (3), Denmark (1), Spain (2), and the United Kingdom (3).

RIVM role

RIVM will contribute to DETECTIVE through its laboratory and public‑health expertise in enteroviruses, parechoviruses and other emerging viral infections.

At RIVM, DC4 will work on Work Package 1: “Advanced automated virus culture system: integrating AI, NGS (Next Generation Sequencing), serology and cell culture technology for enhanced epidemic preparedness. The system will enable large‑scale isolation and phenotypic characterisation of emerging pathogens and will generate reference materials for use across the network and beyond. RIVM’s Laboratory for Infectious Diseases and Screening (IDS) will provide access to prototype and clinical virus strains and support assay development, quality control and standardisation. This will support organoid‑based infection models and antiviral testing (WP1/WP2/WP3).

The outcomes of this project will strengthen national and international laboratory preparedness and improve Europe’s ability to rapidly design and validate new diagnostic assays during outbreaks.

RIVM will work with Region Hovedstaden (Denmark), Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), and other partners to harmonise surveillance protocols for neurological enterovirus infections and to integrate clinical, serological and genomic data. The data will feed into models that estimate true disease burden, identify vulnerability gaps and support risk assessment.

DC4 will be hosted by RIVM under the supervision of Dr (Doctor) Kimberley Benschop. The doctoral degree will be provided by University of Utrecht under the supervision of Prof. Chantal Reusken. Prof. Reusken is top-expert Virology at RIVM and professor in “Emerging Viruses in One Health Context” at the faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University.

Dr Kimberley Benschop will act as Training Manager and will lead Work Package 4: “Interactive Training”. She will coordinate the doctoral training programme, oversee the development of individual Career Development Plans for all DCs and ensure that the training meets international quality standards.

Funding

The DETECTIVE project, a Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Doctoral Network has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement No. HORIZON‑MSCA‑2025‑DN‑01‑01.