In-person · 60-80 participants · Early-career friendly

1st Swiss Enterovirus Symposium

Enterovirus Research and Surveillance: Strengthening Networks in Europe and Beyond

Dates: 5-8 October 2026 Venue: Historic monastery in Disentis Location: Disentis, Switzerland

View program Speakers Venue Contact

About

A focused meeting uniting virology, epidemiology, bioinformatics, and clinical science to drive progress in enterovirus research and surveillance.

Why this symposium?

Enteroviruses are an increasingly important yet underrepresented global health challenge, with evolving genotypes (including EV-A71 and EV-D68) linked to rising disease burden. This symposium creates a platform to spotlight cutting-edge science, new detection technologies, and clinical insights.

Format

Keynotes, contributed talks, and poster sessions
Interactive workshops (Nextclade, Pathoplexus)
Structured discussion forum + networking
In-person only to maximize collaboration

Program overview

Our program aims to combine world-class plenaries, submitted talks, and interactive poster and discussion sessions, finalized by a skill-building workshop.

Time	Mon (Day 1)	Tue (Day 2)	Wed (Day 3)	Thu (Day 4)
09:00-10:30	—	Session 1 Epidemiology & Modeling	Session 4 Virus-Host Interactions	Hands-on Workshop Nextclade / Pathoplexus
10:30-11:00	—	Coffee & Networking	Coffee & Networking	Coffee & Networking
11:00-12:30	—	Session 2 Serological Surveillance	Session 5 Clinical Insights	Hands-on Workshop Nextclade / Pathoplexus
12:30-13:30	—	Lunch Break	Lunch Break	Lunch Break
13:30-15:00	—	Session 3 Bioinformatics & Tools	Session 6 Discussion & Forum	—
15:00-16:00	—	Coffee & Posters	Coffee & Posters	—
16:00-17:00	Conference Registration	Activity	Activity	—
17:00-18:00	Opening Keynote	—	—	—
18:00-21:00	Welcome Dinner	Dinner	Closing Dinner & Entertainment	—

Program is subject to change; final details will be announced on this site.

Confirmed speakers

Stay tuned as we confirm more speakers!

Prof. Kevin Messacar

Session 5: Clinical Aspects

University of Colorado School of Medicine, USA

“Enterovirus D68 and acute flaccid myelitis: clinical challenges, epidemiology, and future directions.”

Prof. Katharina Röltgen

Session 2: Sero-Surveillance

Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Switzerland

“Humoral immunity to enteroviruses across diverse serum cohorts from Switzerland, Ghana, and Tanzania.”

Prof. Emma B. Hodcroft

Closing Keynote

Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Switzerland

“Phylodynamics of non-polio EVs: tracking recombination, emergence, and global spread in real time.”

Venue

The symposium will take place at a former monastery in Disentis, offering a beautiful setting for discussions and informal exchange.

Location

Hotel Kloster Disentis

Disentis, Switzerland

A former Benedictine monastery now converted into a hotel, combining historic charm with simple, modern facilities. Surrounded by the Swiss Alps, it provides a quiet environment ideal for focused discussions.

Travel & arrival

Disentis is accessible by public transport with scenic rail connections through the Alps:

By train: Disentis/Mustér station has regular connections via Chur or Andermatt. ~10 min walk uphill

From Zurich: ~2.5 hours with one change in Chur
From Basel: ~3.5 hours with one change in Chur

By car: Via Chur or Oberalp Pass; parking available on site

Train travel is recommended for convenience and sustainability.

Accommodation & costs

Most participants will stay at Hotel Kloster Disentis, so meals, talks, and poster sessions all take place in the same location.

Single, double, and triple rooms available*
All meals included
Simple, comfortable rooms in the monastery setting
A small number may be housed nearby (1-2 min walk away)

Registration covers accommodation, meals, materials, and workshops. Travel to Disentis is not included. We offer a limited number of travel grants for students with limited funds. Details will be announced when registration opens.

* Student registration will be housed in double and triple rooms

Accessibility

Most main conference areas are accessible. As a historic building, some areas may involve stairs or uneven floors. Please reach out in advance if you have specific requirements so we can help coordinate.

Activities

To enable networking and help build up connections between participants, we plan to make the most of our unique Swiss surroundings by incorporating activity options (included in registration) - stay tuned to find out more!

Travel in Switzerland

Train tickets in Switzerland can be expensive; booking in advance can allow you to save money. A flexible ticket from Zurich airport to Disentis can cost 71CHF. A day-saver ticket booked in advance could be as low as 52CHF - check for them on the SBB website.