CLARITY team meets in Barcelona to discuss findings and next research steps
In May 2026, members of the CLARITY consortium gathered in Barcelona for their annual consortium meeting. Researchers from across the project came together to share progress, discuss emerging findings, and align the next phase of the research programme.
The meeting opened with a contribution from Chantal Korver (member of ReSViNET’s Patient Advisory Board). By sharing her family's experience with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), together with Chantal’s own family history of asthma and the long-term impact RSV continues to have on her family, she provided an important reminder of the real-world relevance of the research being conducted within CLARITY.
New insights from genetics and RSV variation
A central theme throughout the meeting was the growing body of data generated across the different work packages. Researchers presented updates on studies investigating both host genetic susceptibility and RSV genetic variation. Initial findings are beginning to provide insight into why some individuals may be more vulnerable to severe RSV infection and its long-term respiratory consequences than others.
The consortium also discussed new observations on variation between RSV strains. Early results suggest that variants of the same viral protein can interact differently with human proteins and may trigger distinct effects in human cells. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the biological mechanisms that may underlie differences in disease outcomes.
Combining datasets
As the project progresses, the focus is gradually shifting towards integrating the different data streams generated across the consortium. Genetic analyses, functional studies, interactome mapping, and cellular models are now providing complementary datasets that can be combined to identify the most relevant biological pathways and candidate targets for further investigation.
The meeting provided an opportunity for our researchers from different disciplines, including immunology, virology, genetics, systems biology, and computational biology, to discuss findings in person and evaluate priorities for the next phase of the project. These discussions will help guide the selection of genetic variants and molecular mechanisms for further study and validation.
Preparing for stakeholder involvement in the project
In addition to the scientific programme, consortium members also discussed the preparations for a future roundtable meeting with stakeholders. This included identifying which topics and questions are currently most relevant to discuss with different stakeholder groups, as well as which stakeholders would be most appropriate to involve.
With several major datasets now becoming available, the coming months will focus on connecting findings across work packages. These efforts will help advance CLARITY's goal of understanding how RSV contributes to chronic respiratory disease and how this knowledge may ultimately support improved prevention and treatment strategies.