The Red Cross Branch Bucharest District 5 is pleased to announce its participation in the European project MOBILISE, which is developing a state-of-the-art mobile laboratory capable of rapidly analyzing samples from human, animal, and environmental sources. This innovative laboratory aims to quickly identify pathogens and promptly report disease outbreaks to the relevant authorities.
Project Description:
Climate change and global warming are creating favorable conditions for the spread of pathogens, particularly those transmitted by insects or arachnids (arboviruses). These pathogens, including those causing Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, West Nile fever, Rift Valley fever, and Dengue fever, pose increasing public health risks in Europe. Effective monitoring of these diseases requires an integrated “One Health” approach, which involves combined analysis of samples from human, animal, and environmental sources.
An analysis of current mobile laboratory capacities highlighted several shortcomings:
-
Of the 193 mobile laboratories, 66% are civilian-operated.
-
Of these, 88% focus only on human diagnostics.
-
Only 11% of laboratories meet accredited quality standards.
-
Merely 3% of laboratories meet the BSL4 biosafety level.
The MOBILISE project aims to address these gaps by developing an innovative, quality-assured mobile laboratory based on the “One Health” concept. This laboratory will focus on molecular diagnostics, serology, and microbiology for various types of samples. It will also feature a genome sequencing platform for pathogen identification and epidemiological analysis, as well as rapid tests for certain BSL3/4 pathogens.
Advanced artificial intelligence software will coordinate the deployment of the MOBILISE laboratory across Europe, enabling real-time detection of outbreaks and communication with the relevant authorities.
The mobile laboratory will be tested by national authorities and first responders in Austria, Romania, Greece, and Africa, reaching Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL-7). In addition, the MOBILISE project aligns with the European Green Deal, as the laboratory equipment will be powered by solar and wind energy.
Project Details:
-
Project Title: A novel and green mobile One Health laboratory for (re-)emerging infectious disease outbreaks
-
Acronym: MOBILISE
-
Project Management: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine
-
AGES Management: Priv.-Doz. Dr. Georg Duscher
-
Project Partners: AIT – Austrian Institute of Technology, EXUS, Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), Red Cross Bucharest, Beia Consult International, MDSC Systems OÜ, National Public Health Organization (NPHO) Athens
-
Funding: HORIZON-CL3-2021-DRS-01-05 – Fast deployed mobile laboratories to enhance situational awareness for pandemics and emerging infectious diseases
-
Project Duration: 10.2022 – 09.2025
-
More information: https://www.crucearosie5.ro/en/mobilise-project/