The WHO Regional Office for Europe, the Centre of Excellence for Health, Immunity and Infections at Rigshospitalet and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control are organizing a Workshop on Innovations in Tuberculosis (TB) 2025: research perspectives for Europe. This workshop aims to establish a European platform for scientific exchange in TB research and promote collaborations across the WHO European Region.
The workshop brings together translational and clinical researchers, epidemiologists and public health experts, clinical residents and PhD students, as well as representatives from health-care organizations. It will focus on TB prevention, diagnostics, patient-centred care and treatment of comorbidities.
The objectives of the workshop include:
- developing a European dissemination platform to facilitate unbiased scientific exchange and education on advances in TB and the clinical translation of recent developments, taking into account regional epidemic trends and health-care infrastructure;
- fostering new and lasting collaborations between western Europe and eastern Europe and central Asia to strengthen TB research and management in high-burden areas;
- sharing real-world experiences and facilitating the implementation of evidence-based programmes; and
- involving early-career researchers and supporting their career development in TB research.
Strides in TB research in the WHO European Region
The WHO European Region has witnessed considerable progress in TB research in the past decade. Notable developments include the establishment of the European TB Research Initiative (ERI-TB) and its network, the development of the European TB Research Agenda, hosting the ERI-TB Structured Operational Research Training (SORT-TB) and the initiation of collaborative research projects across European countries.
These efforts have facilitated the establishment of the European TB Research network, the SORT-TB alumni and swift implementation of innovative interventions across patient pathways, including treatment alternatives for multidrug-resistant TB/rifampicin-resistant TB in eastern Europe and central Asia, while also enhancing patient management practices.
Nonetheless, there is a need for greater diversity in collaborative TB research across the Region. Fostering cooperation among researchers and practitioners can encourage significant advancements in areas such as TB infection and disease management, diagnostics, patient-centred care, as well as the treatment of comorbidities and post-TB lung disease.