The national EATRIS Slovakia meeting took place on 13 October 2025 at the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Martin, Slovakia–and online–marking the official establishment of the Slovak research infrastructure as part of EATRIS.
The meeting brought together national and European stakeholders to exchange information, strengthen collaborations, and discuss the future of translational research in Slovakia as a member of the EATRIS community. Simona Foltinova, the Board of Governors representative for EATRIS Slovakia said the following:
“We are very pleased that, following Slovakia’s full entry into EATRIS, we were able to organise this kick-off meeting. This represents another important step in developing Slovakia’s capacity in the field of research infrastructures, and we hope that Slovak participation in EATRIS will also bring value to our European partners.”
Opening remarks were delivered by Erika Halašová, National Director of EATRIS-SK, and Andrea Čalkovská, Dean of the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine. Erika noted that “We are truly delighted that, after nearly two years of dedicated effort, the Slovak Republic has become an official member of EATRIS ERIC. This achievement is not just a milestone for Slovak researchers and physicians. This is also a great opportunity to elevate the effectiveness and quality of translational medicine in Slovakia. Membership in this European network provides us with mutual access to new resources, opportunities for cooperation, and knowledge sharing, which I hope will accelerate the impact of our work from bench to bedside. This is the very essence of what we strive to.”
The programme included a keynote from Tomáš Michalek of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic, followed by presentations from Toni Andreu, EATRIS Scientific Director, on the structure and objectives of EATRIS, and Marián Hajdúch, National Director of EATRIS-CZ, who shared the Czech Republic’s experience as a long-time member of EATRIS and a neighbour of the Slovak Republic.
The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic is the state authority responsible for overseeing research infrastructures within the country with its representatives present at the event.
Tomáš Michalek, Head of Unit for Research Infrastructures at the Ministry said: “The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic fully supports Slovakia’s membership in EATRIS, as it aligns with the national strategy for research infrastructures. Participation in EATRIS, and other leading international research infrastructures, is essential to strengthening Slovak science, technology development and the national economy.”
EATRIS Scientific Leads Emanuela Oldoni and Sara Zullino showcased EATRIS platforms in biomarkers and AI for medical applications. Ján Strnádel, EATRIS-SK National Coordinator, then outlined the organisational structure and the vision for the Slovak node. The event concluded with an open discussion and reflections on best practices presented by Oliver Štrbák, Head of the Laboratory of Metabolomics at JFMED CU.
The meeting closed with remarks from Erika Halašová and Toni Andreu, followed by an informal networking session and visits to the local research facilities. We thank our Slovakian colleagues for hosting such a successful and inspiring event – a significant step forward in strengthening translational research collaboration in Slovakia and across Europe.
