Pfizer External Research & Grants 2026, 5 Countries

Hemo
Vax

Healthcare Professional Education
on Adult Vaccination in Hemoglobinopathies

A multilingual digital learning platform closing the documented gap in healthcare professional knowledge on adult vaccination for patients with hemoglobinopathies, including Sickle Cell Disease and thalassemia, across Switzerland, Greece, Belgium, Austria, and Ireland.

Discover the platform Meet the consortium →
2%
Zoster vaccination coverage in patients over 50 with hemoglobinopathies in Greece, with documented clinical indication
Chatzidavid et al., 2024 (n=246)
37%
Meningococcal vaccine coverage, recommended for all patients with Sickle Cell Disease
Chatzidavid et al., 2024
4,000+
Registered hemoglobinopathy patients in Greece alone
Voskaridou et al., 2018
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The 2024 nationwide Greek survey identifies healthcare professional guidance failure as the primary driver of inadequate vaccination rates in this high-risk population.

Partners European Sickle Cell Federation (ESCF) HES-SO — Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse occidentale HUG — Hôpitaux Universitaires Genève H.U.B. Erasme — ULB ÖAW — Austrian Academy of Sciences HELIOS Pfizer External Research & Grants
The clinical gap

A preventable mortality risk, documented in numbers

Functional asplenia, present in most patients with Sickle Cell Disease and certain other hemoglobinopathies, creates life-threatening susceptibility to encapsulated bacteria. Respiratory infections are leading precipitants of acute chest syndrome, the primary cause of hospitalisation and mortality. Effective vaccines exist and vaccination uptake in this population remains a measurable, addressable priority.

2%
Zoster vaccination in patients aged 50+Chatzidavid et al., 2024 (Greece nationwide survey)
37%
Meningococcal vaccinationChatzidavid et al., 2024 (n=246 adults)
41%
Hepatitis B vaccinationCritical for transfusion-dependent patients
538+
Registered patients in BelgiumGulbis et al., 2009/2020, 70% followed in 3 Brussels hospitals
~200
Sickle Cell Disease patients in AustriaMigration-driven cohort, Knoll 2025
The HemoVax platform

Six components, one mission

A multilingual (English / French / German / Greek) digital learning environment combining adaptive education, artificial intelligence-powered simulation, and community dissemination, freely accessible with no registration required. Preview the platform →

01 / Work Package 3
📚
Adaptive E-Learning Modules
Five structured modules from epidemiology to clinical case management. Narrated slides, embedded quizzes, and validated completion certificates. Pre/post knowledge assessment built in.
Preview Module 1 →
02 / Work Package 3
🤖
Artificial Intelligence Clinical Scenario Simulator
Conversational artificial intelligence virtual patients presenting realistic hemoglobinopathy consultation challenges. Branching decision trees with expert feedback at each clinical decision point.
Try the simulator →
03 / Work Package 4
🎙
Expert Webinar Series
Three quarterly live webinars with haematologists and vaccinologists from the five countries. Recorded, archived, and followed by 30-day knowledge retention surveys.
Register interest →
04 / Work Package 3
🎧
HemoVax Podcast
8-episode bilingual podcast (English/French) co-hosted by clinicians, patients living with Sickle Cell Disease, and vaccination experts. Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Get notified →
05 / Work Package 3
📋
Practice Toolkit
Country-specific vaccination schedule infographics, patient communication templates, and clinical decision aids in four languages. Freely downloadable under open-access Creative Commons licence.
Preview toolkit →
06 / Work Package 4
📣
Social Media Dissemination Kit
Multilingual infographics and animation clips for LinkedIn, X, and Instagram, distributed through ESCF and partner networks to reach 2,000+ healthcare professionals across the region.
About ESCF →
Project architecture

Five Work Packages over 18 months

WP1
M1–M18
Coordination & Governance
Lead: HES-SO Geneva
WP2
M1–M8
Needs Assessment & Content Design
Lead: HUG Geneva + Prof. Gulbis
WP3
M3–M12
Platform & Digital Production
Lead: HES-SO Geneva
WP4
M8–M18
Engagement & Dissemination
Lead: ESCF
WP5
M1–M18
Evaluation & Outcomes
Lead: HES-SO Geneva + Dr. Knoll
The consortium

Five partners, five countries

An interdisciplinary consortium combining digital health informatics, frontline haematology, equity research, and pan-European patient community infrastructure.

🇨🇭 Switzerland, Lead institution
HES-SO
Prof. David-Z. Issom (PI)
HES-SO Geneva
Project coordination, platform development, artificial intelligence tools, evaluation lead. Digital health and equity-by-design research.
WP1 LeadWP3 LeadWP5 LeadWP2
🇨🇭 Switzerland
HUG — Hôpitaux Universitaires Genève
Dr. Mappoura & Dr. Samii
Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG)
Clinical co-leads. Frontline haematology expertise for content design, clinical case development, and expert validation of all educational materials.
WP2 LeadWP3WP4
🌍 Pan-European
ESCF — European Sickle Cell Federation
Lora Ruth Wogyu (Co-PI)
European Sickle Cell Federation (ESCF)
Dissemination lead. Direct relationships with national patient organisations, healthcare professional networks, and professional bodies across all five target countries and beyond.
WP1 Co-LeadWP4 LeadWP2WP5
🇧🇪 Belgium
H.U.B. — Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles
Prof. Béatrice Gulbis
Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B.) Erasme / ULB
Belgian reference centre lead for hereditary red blood cell disorders. European Reference Network EuroBloodNet member representative. National healthcare professional network and content contextualisation.
WP2 Co-leadWP3WP4
🇦🇹 Austria
ÖAW — Austrian Academy of Sciences
Dr. Eva-Maria Knoll
Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), Institute for Social Anthropology
Equity and rare disease research. Author of the therapeutic remoteness framework for migration-driven hemoglobinopathy contexts in Austria (Knoll, 2025). Equity lens for outcomes evaluation.
WP5 Co-leadWP2WP4
💊 Funder
Pfizer
Pfizer External Research & Grants
Independent educational grant
HemoVax is funded through an independent educational grant from Pfizer External Research & Grants. Content development, educational delivery, and outcomes interpretation are the sole responsibility of the HemoVax consortium.
HELIOS
Scientific Advisory
HELIOS COST Action
European COST Action network on hemoglobinopathies, contributing to content governance and cross-national clinical validation
Project timeline

18 months to impact

M1–M4
WP1 + WP2
Foundation Phase
Consortium agreement, Data Management Plan, healthcare professional needs assessment survey (n=150 across 5 countries), platform architecture, clinical content scoping.
M5–M8
WP2 + WP3
Content Development Phase
E-learning module production, artificial intelligence simulator build, podcast episodes 1–4, clinical case validation by expert panel, country-specific guideline synthesis approved.
M9–M12
WP3 + WP4
Beta Launch & Full Deployment
Beta platform with 2 modules live (M9). Webinar 1 (M9). Translation and localisation finalised. Full platform launch with all 5 modules, artificial intelligence simulator, toolkit, and podcast (M12). Webinar 2 (M12).
M13–M15
WP4 + WP5
Engagement & Interim Evaluation
ESCF dissemination campaign active. Interim evaluation report. Podcast episodes 5–8. Webinar 3 (M15). 3-month follow-up survey.
M16–M18
WP5 + Close
Outcomes, Publication & Handover
Qualitative interviews (n=20 healthcare professionals). 6-month follow-up survey. Conference abstract submitted. Final evaluation report. Peer-reviewed manuscript submitted. Platform handover to ESCF.
Data sovereignty

Hosted in Switzerland. Protected by design.

All platform data, assessment responses, and analytics are stored exclusively in Switzerland. No personal data leaves Swiss territory.

🇨🇭
Trust Valley, Switzerland
Swiss digital trust infrastructure, meeting the highest data sovereignty criteria
🔒
nLPD and GDPR Compliant
Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD) and European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for cross-border participants
👤
Anonymised by default
No registration required; analytics are aggregate and anonymised; no personal data sold or shared with third parties
🏔 Trust Valley, Switzerland Swiss digital sovereignty label
DATA MANAGEMENT PLAN: D1.2
DELIVERY: MONTH 2
LEAD: HES-SO GENEVA
─────────────────────────────
Anonymisation · Retention · Rights
nLPD Art. 16–17 · GDPR Art. 44–49
─────────────────────────────
DATA CENTRE LOCATION: SWITZERLAND
TRANSFER OUTSIDE CH TERRITORY: NONE
Stay informed

Join the HemoVax network

The platform will be freely accessible to all healthcare professionals. Register your interest to receive updates on the launch, webinar invitations, and open-access resources.

Contact the consortium →