Pasteur Network Scientific Convening in Brussels: Putting Arbovirus and Dengue in Focus

On 25 June 2026, experts from across the Pasteur Network (PN) gathered at Sciensano in Brussels for a Scientific Convening dedicated to dengue and other arboviral diseases. Hosted by Sciensano, the meeting brought together PN members from five continents alongside leading partners — including FIND, the Dengue Alliance, the WHO Global Arbovirus Programme, the Global Coalition, the Collective Action on Dengue initiative, and the Flavivirus CORC. Opened by Rebecca Grais (Pasteur Network) and Stefan Roels (Sciensano), and framed by a keynote from Kevin Tetteh (FIND) asking simply “Why dengue, why now?”, the convening set out to identify shared research priorities and to agree on a small number of concrete, collaborative actions.

Why Dengue, Why Now The convening opened with this deceptively simple question, and the answer set the tone for the day. Dengue is one of the fastest-spreading infectious diseases in the world: more than half the global population is now at risk, with an estimated 100 to 400 million infections occurring each year across more than 100 countries. Once largely confined to tropical and subtropical regions, the disease is now expanding into temperate areas, driven by climate change, rapid urbanisation, and global mobility. The trajectory is stark; reported cases have risen from around 500,000 at the turn of the century to 14.6 million in 2024 alone. With no specific treatment available, prevention, early detection, and vector control remain the main lines of defence. Against this backdrop, participants agreed that fragmented, single-institution responses are no longer sufficient: the case for coordinated, network-wide action has rarely been stronger.

Mapping the External Landscape: Coordination Over Duplication The first session set the scene with a strategic overview of the diverse and growing ecosystem of initiatives, networks, and partners working on dengue and arbovirus preparedness and response. Rather than adding another layer, discussion focused on where the Pasteur Network can be genuinely complementary; situating its strengths alongside global efforts and identifying shared priorities. The recurring theme was clear: in a dense field, the value lies in coordination, alignment, and filling gaps rather than duplicating work already under way elsewhere. 

Shared Platforms and Network Strengths Building on this, participants turned inward to ask what members can offer one another. Institutes showcased existing platforms, infrastructures, and resources that could be opened up across the Network — from vector biology and entomology capacity to genomic surveillance and data tools. Regional snapshots highlighted the expertise and ongoing activities of PN members across Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and the EuroMed region. The shared conviction was that pooling infrastructures and making capabilities visible can accelerate innovation, avoid duplication of effort, and strengthen preparedness and response — particularly where resources between institutions and regions are unequal.

From Vectors to Hosts: Research Priorities Across the Arbovirus Chain A series of research snapshots structured the scientific heart of the meeting around three complementary angles: vectors and environment, surveillance and data, and host–pathogen interactions. Speakers from institutes across the Network presented work spanning mosquito ecology and environmental drivers, surveillance systems and data integration, and the molecular biology of flavivirus infection. The goal was not to catalogue everything under way, but to collectively identify and prioritise the research questions where joint, cross-institutional work would add the most value.

Scientific Working Groups: Turning Connection into Collaboration between PN members The convening also dedicated a session to the Pasteur Network Scientific Working Groups (SWGs). Presented as a standing mechanism to connect expertise across institutions, the SWGs are intended to translate the kind of dialogue seen in Brussels into sustained collaboration — carrying thematic priorities forward between meetings and giving members a structured home for joint research, knowledge exchange, and coordinated action.

Key recommandations and next steps

• Prioritising the critical research questions on dengue and arboviruses where network-wide collaboration adds the most value
• Defining two to three strategic areas for coordinated joint action, each with a designated lead to ensure accountability and momentum
• Strengthening shared platforms and pooling resources to avoid duplication and build capacity across regions
• Reinforcing surveillance, preparedness, and response through closer cooperation and data sharing
• Leveraging the Scientific Working Groups activities to sustain collaboration beyond the convening

By bringing our members and partners around the table, we working to turn shared concerns into shared priorities — and, crucially, into concrete commitments to act together,”  Rebecca Grais, Executive Director of the Pasteur Network.