On 21 May 2026, the PDPC celebrated its 5 year anniversary. Researchers, staff, partners and stakeholders of the PDPC gathered in the Tuin van Verbondenheid at the Erasmus MC to look back at the past five years, mark the importance of preparedness, and look ahead towards PDPC’s next steps.

Prof. Marion Koopmans, founder and Scientific Director of the PDPC, started off with a talk  about ‘proud to be PDPC’. She discussed how the PDPC was founded during the COVID-19 crisis in collaboration with prof. Ernst Kuipers, prof. Bas Jonkman and later prof. Pearl Dykstra, in order to address such complex problems with multidisciplinary teams. She highlighted the various research lines that were set up to better prepare for natural hazards and disasters, mainly focusing on floods and pandemics. Moreover, she emphasized the relevance of the PDPC in today’s society, with the Hanta and Ebola virus outbreaks as important reminders that preparedness is crucial as ever.

Prof. Thom Bogaard, Director of Disaster Preparedness at TU Delft, and dr. Tom Emery, Director of Societal Preparedness at Erasmus University Rotterdam, were then both interviewed by Marion to reflect on the importance of preparedness. Both Thom and Tom underlined the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to complex problems. By making use of expertise from for example technical-, social-, biomedical-, medical- and economical sciences, as well as data and policy, we can better address the challenges that come with a highly interconnected world that is affected by climate change. “Our role is to analyse where the problems and risks lie and to help policymakers think through the implications,” Thom adds.

Dr. Anja Schreijer, Medical Director of the PDPC, together with dr. Charlotte Waltz, postdoctoral researcher at the PDPC and Erasmus University Rotterdam, explained how the PDPC is translating scientific insights into policy advice and impact. In particular, Charlotte presented the UNITY project, part of the public health research line, that aims to develop a method to combine biomedical, social and economical advice for delivering integrated advice during crises. She explained the intricate approach to tackle this challenge – for example by carefully examining when and how insights are best integrated, which uncertainties arise, and how to address these meaningfully. Moreover, she explained that the project also trains both researchers and policymakers on how to work towards integrated advice. In this way, the UNITY project is a prime example of how the PDPC directly contributes to strengthening preparedness.

After the presentations from the PDPC board, Marion Koopmans presented the PDPC Anniversary Magazine, a special edition magazine that provides a complete overview of the research and impact from the past years. The magazine includes interviews with the PDPC board, spreads that highlight the research on the topics of ‘Viral transmission’, ‘Heat, Water & Health’ and ‘The human face of crisis’, highlighted research projects and reflections from external partners and stakeholders. Finally, the magazine presents the PDPC’s next steps and ambitions for the long term.

After the presentation of the magazine, prof. Stefan Sleijfer, Chair of the Erasmus MC Executive Board, talked about the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration for preparedness between the three Convergence institutes: Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam and TU Delft. Their shared expertise and knowledge is crucial for tackling the complex problems that we face as a society. He adds: “Within Convergence, the PDPC enables us to shift from reacting to anticipating, from fragmentation to true collaboration. It strengthens our research, enriches our education, and contributes directly to a more resilient healthcare system.”

Marjolijn Sonnema, Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, emphasized the need for structural investment in pandemic preparedness, as outbreaks and pandemics are highly impactful – not only for public health but society as a whole. Moreover, she stressed how important the research and efforts from the PDPC are for the Netherlands.

Finally, prof. Ernst Kuipers, founder of the PDPC and Chair of the TU Delft Supervisory Board, reflected on the importance of preparedness by looking back at the emergence and spread of the bubonic plague in the 13th century, and how lessons from those times still apply in today’s world. He explained that it’s very likely that infectious diseases jumpstarted the renaissance, which changed the way we approach science. Subsequently, he bridged this to the PDPC and how its interdisciplinary research is an important next step towards preparedness. Kuipers says: “Looking back, I am proud to have been involved in the origins of the PDPC. What started from urgency has grown into something with lasting value. Seeing how this initiative has developed over the past five years gives confidence for what lies ahead.”

Five years after PDPC’s founding, preparedness is as urgent as ever. Within the thriving interdisciplinary ecosystem that the PDPC developed over the years, the community will continue to harness and combine expertise to tackle increasingly complex challenges. From prevention and early warning to response and recovery, the PDPC is dedicated to its mission to strengthen our preparedness for future crises.

A huge thank you to all the past and present staff and partners of the PDPC, for their dedication to preparing society for future pandemics and disasters. We are looking forward to the next five years!

Want to get more insight into the kinds of research that the PDPC has been doing? Go to our YouTube channel to check out our Anniversary highlight video, our Science Speaks videos [1] [2] and our video about the flooding of the Eendragtspolder.