The European Plotkin Institute for Vaccinology (EPIV) is a joint initiative of the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the University of Antwerp (UA) (vaccinopolis.be), supported by the Belgian Federal Government. EPIV brings together leading research teams in immunology and microbiology with a shared mission: to better understand, treat, and prevent infectious diseases in Belgium and worldwide, while contributing to international preparedness for future pandemics.
Located at the main site of the Brussels University Hospital (H.U.B.), within the Faculty of Medicine at ULB, EPIV integrates state-of-the-art fundamental research with on-site clinical research capabilities. This close connection enables the rapid translation of scientific discoveries into tangible benefits for patients.
Inaugurated on 26 September 2023, EPIV is housed in a new 3,600 m² cutting-edge research facility, designed to ensure the safe handling of hazardous pathogens. The institute currently brings together five multidisciplinary research teams active in immunology, bacteriology, vaccinology, virology, and clinical microbiology, with over 50 researchers and the capacity to host up to 80 scientists.
EPIV promotes a strongly multidisciplinary and collaborative vision, with shared spaces and integrated scientific projects. The institute also hosts an in-house clinical research unit, a high-throughput testing platform that can be rapidly mobilized in the event of a new pandemic, and a large biobank for pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites) and human samples (blood, serum, saliva, and more).
Anchored in the Brussels-Capital Region and connected to international research networks, EPIV is committed to addressing today's and tomorrow's challenges in infectious diseases.
Dr. Stanley Plotkin
The institute is named after Dr. Stanley Plotkin, a pioneering figure in vaccinology. Born in 1932 in the United States, he is Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania and a former virologist at the Wistar Institute, where he played a key role in the development of the rubella vaccine.
Dr. Plotkin has also contributed significantly to the development of several major vaccines, including those against rabies, rotavirus, polio, varicella, and cytomegalovirus. His book Vaccines is widely regarded as the leading scientific reference in the field.
We are happy to support the advancement of science by contributing to the construction of this institute in Belgium. Europe is the place where vaccinology began and where it is very appropriate to move it forward in this era of pandemics.— S. Plotkin