Do we now have the tools to keep microbes in check - or will they still have the final say?
That question was at the heart of Professor Henrik C. Wegener’s inaugural lecture, delivered on 10 April 2026 at the DTU National Food Institute.
Drawing on his own career, he placed decades of scientific progress into perspective - from slow, laboratory-based analyses to today’s genome sequencing, large-scale data and the use of artificial intelligence. Advances that now allow us to identify pathogens faster, trace transmission routes more precisely, and monitor outbreaks across countries and sectors.
At the same time, access to these technologies remains unevenly distributed. In many parts of the world, systems for detecting and managing infectious diseases are still insufficient.
As part of the way forward, Henrik Wegener highlighted the new initiative, Global Pathogen Analysis Platform (GPAP). Supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation the platform aims to make advanced tools for genomic analysis and data interpretation widely accessible, strengthening global capacity to detect and respond to outbreaks in time.
Watch the inaugural lecture and explore how new technologies can help strengthen the global response to infectious diseases, hopefully preventing future pandemics..
