On 10–11 July 2025, the NOVIRUSES2BRAIN project successfully organised the NOVIRUSES2BRAIN Symposium 2025: Ahead of Future Pandemics at the SANA Metropolitan Hotel, in Lisbon, Portugal.

This 1.5-day international symposium brought together leading experts and early-career researchers working in virology, preclinical development, and translational medicine, creating a multidisciplinary forum to address current and future challenges in pandemic preparedness.

Anticipating future challenges

The scientific programme highlighted innovative and complementary approaches to tackling viral infections, with a strong focus on the pathway from fundamental research to therapeutic development and clinical application.

The main objectives of the symposium were to:

• Showcase innovative antiviral and non-antiviral therapeutic strategies;

• Highlight the scientific contributions of young researchers;

• Foster discussion on the translation of laboratory research into clinical trials.

Science, collaboration, and impact

Throughout the event, participants engaged in invited lectures, thematic scientific sessions, and interactive moments, encouraging dialogue across disciplines and strengthening international collaboration — a core value of the NOVIRUSES2BRAIN project.

The NOVIRUSES2BRAIN Symposium 2025 marked a key milestone of the project, reinforcing its role as a platform for scientific exchange and for anticipating the challenges posed by future pandemics.

📸 Selected moments from the symposium are shared below.