The Russian Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, is organizing an international conference entitled “Exotic and Particularly Dangerous Viral Infectious Diseases,” which will be held online on March 18, 2026.

Global safety in today’s world is facing new challenges, among which threats related to the spread of exotic and particularly dangerous viral infections occupy a special place. According to the WHO, there are already more than 100 diseases on the list of such infections. In the context of climate change, globalization, and intense migration, these threats are becoming increasingly relevant for every country, including the Russian Federation. The fact that some viral infections have high pandemic potential is a cause for particular concern, and biosafety is becoming a key priority for the global community, requiring the consolidation of efforts by scientists, doctors, and public health specialists.

Russia’s strategy for combating particularly dangerous infections is based on several key principles:

• Implementation of a modern proactive epidemiological surveillance system, including genomic epidemiological surveillance;
• Development of innovative methods for laboratory diagnostics;
• Improvement of methods for the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases;
• Training highly qualified specialists;
• International cooperation in the field of infection monitoring.

Given the growing threats, international cooperation is becoming a prerequisite for successful responding infectious diseases. Sharing experience, conducting joint research, and developing new scientific approaches to diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases are the main trends in responding to modern challenges in the field of biological safety.

The conference is held in support of the development of modern genetic technologies with the participation of the world-class Genome Research Center for Biological Safety and Technological Independence (Agreement of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation No. 075-15-2025-517 dated May 30, 2025). International experts from different countries will share their experience in various aspects of epidemiology, diagnostics, clinical practice, and treatment of exotic and particularly dangerous viral infectious diseases in the course of the conference.

Holding the Conference in an international format is an important step towards strengthening scientific and practical cooperation and increasing the effectiveness of the response to exotic and particularly dangerous viral infections. We invite you to participate in the work and become a partner of the scientific Forum.

Yours sincerely,
Academician-Secretary of the Medical Sciences Division
of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences                                           Starodubov V.I.