The aim of this virtual training workshop is to provide participants with insights from research and public health experts involved in the surveillance of diverse viral and bacterial pathogens that are known to mutate and escape established immunization methods over time. The training also includes a practical hands-on experience of bioinformatic tools used for the detection of the whooping-cough agent’s antigens and tracking of strain evolution. Finally, the course offers a forward-looking perspective on pandemic preparedness, exploring how emerging approaches—including AI-driven antigen prediction—could enable faster and more adaptive responses, particularly in vaccine development.

 Dates: 23 and 25 March 2026. 

 Duration: Two half-days 09:00-12:30 CET. 

Location: Online - Find the link after enrolment. 

Audience: Public health microbiologists, epidemiologists, or bioinformaticians interested in learning about antigen evolution and novel immunization strategies.

Objectives:  

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Explain the genetic and evolutionary mechanisms underlying antigenic variation and immune escape in bacterial and viral pathogens.
• Describe how genomic surveillance supports the detection and monitoring of antigenic evolution, vaccine escape, and reduced vaccine effectiveness.
• Interpret examples of antigen-driven pathogen evolution using case studies from SARS-CoV-2, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Bordetella pertussis.
• Apply bioinformatic tools to detect antigen variants and track strain evolution, using pertussis as a practical use case.
• Recognise emerging approaches in pandemic preparedness, including the role of AI-driven antigen prediction and accelerated vaccine development pipelines.

Participation: This course is open for public enrolment.