The aim of this virtual training is to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of poliovirus biology, genomics, epidemiology, and public health strategies. This webinar will focus on poliovirus surveillance, the evolution of vaccine-derived strains and eradication efforts. Participants will have the opportunity to analyse poliovirus genomic data and to learn how these data can be integrated into the epidemiological surveillance of poliovirus.

 Dates: 17 and 20 July 2026. 

 Duration: Two half-days (afternoons). 

Location: Online - Find the link after enrolment. 

Audience: Public health microbiologists and virologists, epidemiologists, or bioinformaticians interested in learning about the biology and epidemiology of polioviruses and the role of genomic surveillance in global eradication efforts.

Objectives:  

Upon completing this training, participants will be able to:

• Describe the biology, genomic organisation, and epidemiology of polioviruses, including the characteristics of different serotypes and their role in disease transmission.
• Explain how genomic and environmental surveillance contribute to poliovirus detection, outbreak investigation, and monitoring of transmission dynamics.
• Apply basic genomic epidemiology approaches to classify polioviruses, identify serotypes, and reconstruct outbreaks using sequence data.
• Interpret phylogenetic and genomic analyses to investigate the emergence and spread of vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs).
• Assess the impact of vaccination strategies on poliovirus evolution, including the transition from OPV to IPV and the factors associated with VDPV emergence.
  
• Discuss current challenges and future directions in global polio eradication efforts, including the integration of genomic data into public health decision-making and outbreak response.

Participation: This course is open for public enrolment.