On November 6 and 7, 2025, the DEFENDER 2025: International Symposium brought together leading experts in virology, immunology, and translational research at the Leibniz Institute of Virology.

The two-day meeting served as a central forum for scientific exchange, interdisciplinary networking, and strategic project planning within the DEFENDER consortium and beyond.

The first day of the symposium was designed as an open forum, fostering collaboration among local, national, and international researchers as well as representatives of related EU-funded projects. The scientific program featured a series of high-level presentations on novel antiviral strategies and viral entry mechanisms, including contributions from M. Brönstrup (Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research), T. Krey (University of Lübeck), S. Pfänder (Leibniz Institute of Virology), and T. F. Schulz (Hannover Medical School). Other highlights included the keynote lecture by N. Tautz (University of Lübeck), and sessions introducing major Horizon EU initiatives such as COMBAT (U. Neogi, Karolinska Institutet), COMBINE (C. Sieben, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research), SHIELD (C. Klein, Heidelberg University), and VIGILANT (S. Pöhlmann, German Primate Center – Leibniz Institute for Primate Research).

The second day was dedicated to internal coordination within the DEFENDER consortium. Members and the Scientific Advisory Board convened in focused working groups to align strategies and plan future research activities, ensuring the sustained impact of this multinational collaboration. A special emphasis was placed on supporting early-career researchers. PhD students and postdocs contributed actively through poster sessions, oral presentations, and discussion rounds, gaining valuable feedback and expanding their professional networks.

The DEFENDER 2025 Symposium successfully strengthened scientific ties across disciplines and institutions, advancing collaborative efforts toward innovative antiviral research.