BMC SAS contributes to the European Virus Archive with its collections of plant viruses as well as arthropod and rodent-borne viruses.
The European Virus Archive (EVA), of which the Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (BMC SAS) is a founding member, and which aims to facilitate pandemic preparedness, improve pandemic management and promote collaboration in virological research, has been granted official status as an international non-profit organisation under Belgian law. The legal status of AISBL (Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif) was recently approved by a Belgian Royal Decree.
“This consortium has been successful in three European projects. The legal status as a non-profit organisation will open the door to new sources of funding, long-term sustainability and stability,” says Boris Klempa, Principal Investigator for BMC SAS and member of the Board of Directors of the European Virus Archive.
The members of EVA-AISBL are fourteen respected institutions with a wide range of expertise in virology. These include public health agencies, academic institutions, veterinary institutes and research centres in seven European countries – France, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
EVA-AISBL is the only research infrastructure in the world dedicated to the collection, characterisation, production and distribution of reference viral resources to support virology research since 2008.
It assembles unique collections, including high-risk and emerging pathogens, and provides researchers from the academic, private and public health sectors with ethical and equitable access to high-quality viral resources, such as strains, diagnostic tools and reference material, in full compliance with international regulations. BMC SAS contributes its collections of plant viruses as well as arthropod and rodent-borne viruses.
By supporting basic research, innovation in vaccine development, antiviral agents and diagnostics, and by distributing reference material worldwide, EVA-AISBL plays a critical role in enhancing preparedness and response to viral outbreaks.
The organisation’s near-term goal is to be included in the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) plans, which would ensure stable funding in the future. The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic has supported EVA-AISBL in this endeavour.
EVA-AISBL members
Contact persons:
Ela Rybárová, PR Manager BMC SAS, tel.: 0911 744 756
Dr. Boris Klempa, Head of the Department of Virus Ecology, Institute of Virology, BMC SAS, boris.klempa@savba.sk
Text: E. Rybárová, BMC SAS
Illustration Photo: archive of Dr. B. Klempa, BMC SAS
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