On June 2nd, 2025, the SUNRISE Project was featured at the PREPARE-EU Spring School, held at KU Leuven in Belgium. Representing SUNRISE, Dr. Berit Lange from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Germany, delivered a presentation on the project’s innovative approach to strengthening pandemic preparedness through simulation and modeling.
The Spring School, titled “Connecting European Expertise for Pandemic Preparedness,” gathered researchers, policymakers, and public health experts from across Europe. The two-day event was organized as part of the PCR-4-ALL initiative and supported by the Leuven One Health network. It aimed to foster collaboration among EU-funded projects focused on health resilience and emergency response.
Dr. Lange’s presentation introduced SUNRISE’s objectives, including:
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Supporting real-time decision-making with strategic modeling tools
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Promoting an evidence-based framework for public health interventions
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Enhancing preparedness planning across different levels of governance
Her session emphasized the critical role of data-driven simulation in developing flexible and scalable pandemic response strategies.
Event Highlights:
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Keynote addresses from experts including Sandra Coecke (European Commission DG JRC), Prof. Koen Vercauteren, Prof. Kai Dallmeier, and Prof. Johan Neyts
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Participation from 12 EU-funded research projects
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Poster presentations and interactive group discussions promoting interdisciplinary exchange
The SUNRISE Project team was honored to contribute to this important dialogue and to engage with leading voices in European health preparedness.
For more information about the PREPARE-EU Spring School, visit the official event page.
