Pharm-ERA 4th consortium meeting - 16-20/03/2026 - Lausanne, Switzerland

Landing on the shores of Lake Geneva under bright blue Swiss sky. The setting might tempt anyone into a leisurely stroll along the waterfront. But the thirty-plus researchers, doctoral candidates, and experts who converged on the University of Lausanne had not made the journey only for the scenery. Over five intense days, the Pharm-ERA consortium was there to work — training early-career scientists, pushing research forward, and tackling the concrete deliverables that mark the project's steady progress. Despite the beautiful landscape visible through the window, this week was defined by focus, ambition, and a shared determination to advance the science.


Learning to tell the story behind the science

The week kicked off with two full days dedicated to the doctoral candidates (DCs). Under the guidance of Dr Gavin Lucas from TPM, the ten young researchers dove into the art and craft of scientific writing — not the dry, formulaic kind, but the kind that starts with a fundamental question: why does this matter? Through exercises, peer discussions, and real-life examples drawn from their own projects, they explored how to turn a scientific report into a compelling argument. By the end of Tuesday, the DCs also gathered as a Fellow Committee, sharing their experiences and making their collective voice heard within the network.


Ten researchers, ten stories

Wednesday and Thursday belonged to the science. One by one, the doctoral candidates took to the floor to present the progress of their research — ten projects, ten perspectives on a shared challenge: understanding how pharmaceuticals and antimicrobial resistance spread through our soils, rivers, and ecosystems. From the streets of urban catchments to the sediments of european rivers, from molecular thresholds to predictive toxicity models, the picture that emerged was as complex as it was fascinating.Between sessions, the group boarded a bus to the shores of Lake Geneva to visit LéXPLORE — a state-of-the-art floating research platform born from a unique international partnership between five research institutions: EPFL, Eawag, University of Lausanne, University of Geneva and the French research unit CARRTEL. Standing on the lake, surrounded by instruments measuring the invisible, it was hard not to feel the urgency and excitement of the work Pharm-ERA is doing.


Taking science to the public

Wednesday evening brought one of the most memorable moments of the week. The consortium stepped outside the university walls and into the Musée de la main UNIL-CHUV for a public Apéro-Science co-organised with l'Eprouvette and Fondation evertéa. The question on everyone's lips: what happens to antibiotics after we flush them away? Through demonstrations, discussions, and a healthy dose of curiosity from the audience, Pharm-ERA researchers showed that the journey of a pharmaceutical — from our medicine cabinets to rivers and living organisms — is a story that concerns us all. The evening was a vivid reminder of why science communication matters.


Voices from the field — and from industry

Thursday morning brought fresh perspectives from two invited speakers. Andreas Häner from Roche offered an insider's view on how the pharmaceutical industry approaches environmental risk assessment, while Nicole Gallina from CIPEL, the international commission for the protection of the waters of lake Geneva shed light on the governance challenges of protecting one of Europe's most iconic water bodies — Lake Geneva itself. Two very different worlds, united by the same pressing questions that Pharm-ERA is working to answer.


A meeting shaped by Lausanne's own experts

None of this would have happened without the people who made it their home turf. Prof. Nathalie Chèvre (UNIL) was at the heart of the meeting's organisation, bringing not only her logistical energy but her deep scientific expertise to the table. She closed the week with a masterclass on pharmaceutical pollution in Lake Geneva — a perfect synthesis of local knowledge and global relevance, which had participants brainstorming concrete policy solutions in small groups. Her involvement gave the Lausanne meeting a special character: rooted, rigorous, and genuinely engaged with the environment right outside the window.In the background, Benoit Ferrari from the Ecotox Centre (EAWAG-ECOTOX) connected the consortium with Switzerland's broader ecotoxicology community and ensured the meeting benefited from the region's rich scientific ecosystem.


Five days, one network

By Friday afternoon, as participants collected their lunch tickets one last time and began heading to the train station, there was a palpable sense of momentum. Research is advancing, collaborations are deepening, and the Pharm-ERA community is growing stronger with every meeting. Lausanne set a high bar — and the network is ready to rise to it.