In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several research infrastructures (RIs) have set up specific services, such as rapid or fast track access, to allow researchers to obtain results as soon as possible. To facilitate their use by researchers, we would like to collect the relevant information about the initiatives on a dedicated website.

To help the research community find suitable support, we are collecting information about the relevant services. We invite research infrastructures[1] to inform us about their service by filling in the questionnaire.

This work is carried out by CERIC in the frame of ACCELERATE, funded by the European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020, under grant agreement 731112. For more information, please contact: useroffice@ceric-eric.eu. 

Last update: 15/09/2020 at 17:10
The documents with details about each RI's services are included in the list below.
> The summary table within each category provides a detailed overview of the COVID-19 services of RIs that submitted their input in the questionnaire. 

Physical Sciences and Engineering ► Summary table:

• Alba Synchrotron– Rapid access to instruments: ALBA assigns high priority to the projects related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The operations have stopped until 25 April, but the call is open, the proposals will be processed, and beam time will be provided as soon as it will be available. A “COVID-19 Rapid Access” call has been established, valid through the year 2020. Quick peer and safety review will be applied to the received proposals. (Details about the service here).
• CALIPSOplus provides prioritized free rapid access to researchers and SMEs working on COVID-19 projects.
• Central European Research Infrastructure Consortium (CERIC) – Rapid access to instruments: A free remote access to NMR at National Institute of Chemistry, SAXS at Elettra and TU Graz, Cryo-EM at SOLARIS and synchrotron Elettra, following a light peer review. (Details about the service here).
• Diamond Light Source – Rapid access to instruments: Priority rapid access for groups who require instrument time for projects directly related to SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins. (Details about the service here).
• ELECMI (the  Integrated Infrastructure for Electron Microscopy of Materials) – Rapid access to instruments: Researchers can perform studies on materials characterisation, such as the analysis of textiles for Personal Protective Equipment or particles from filters. (Details about the service here).
• Elettra Synchrotron – Rapid access to instruments: Special priority is given to urgent Coronavirus specific research projects. Researchers have the possibility to remotely access a group of relevant Elettra/FERMI beamlines, where to perform their experiments related to SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins and studies of possible drugs for viral infection treatment. (Details about the service here).
• ELI Beamlines has addressed its user community to express its interest so that ELI Beamlines can adequately prepare and open a dedicated call to fight coronavirus infection.
• ESRF provides rapid access to its facilities for research focused on the determination of structures of COVID-19 proteins and complexes. (Details about the service here).
• European XFEL – Rapid access to X-ray instruments, access to user laboratories in terms of protein production, crystallisation  sample preparation and quality control in biology, chemistry and material science, Data analysis services, know-how on nano- and micro-crystal delivery for experiments with XFEL beams. (Details about the service here).
• European Spallation Source DEMAX – Prioritised access: The Deuteration & Macromolecular Crystallisation (DEMAX) platform at ESS is offering prioritised access to laboratory services for scientists and researchers working on COVID-19-related research projects. It is able to provide expertise, advice and limited materials to support research aimed at the critical need to gain a better understanding of COVID-19. (Details about the service here).
• Felix Laboratory – Rapid access: Flix Laboratory provides rapid access to support the investigation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus characteristics and the development of possible diagnostics, vaccine and treatments.
• HZB – Rapid access to instruments: BESSY II at HZB is not in user operation at present, however for corona-related research during the stand-by operation, the three MX-beamlines of HZB will be open to receiving external projects. Read more about research recently done by BESSY II on Coronavirus SARS-CoV2. (Details about the service). 
• Institut Laue Langevin (ILL) – Access to instruments: The ILL supports a medium term to longer term approach to understand the COVID-19 virus based mainly on structural biology, but also macromolecular dynamics. (Details about the service here).
• ISIS Neutron and Muon Source – ISIS is not operational at present. Although ISIS has not set up a specific service to support Covid-19 research, their rapid and express routes can be used for any urgent and Covid-19 related work once they are operating again. (Details about the service here).
• JCNS, Jülich Centre for Neutron Science – Rapid Access to instruments: JCNS offers its instruments at MLZ for research on the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 via a special rapid access proposal round. Researchers can study basic virus function and protein structure determination. (Details about the service here).
• MAX IV Laboratory – Rapid access to instruments: MAX IV Laboratory offers rapid access for groups who require instrument time for projects directly related to SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins such as Covid-19 related enzyme targets, membrane receptor complexes, antibody complexes etc. (i.e. non-infectious samples). (Details about the service here).
• MLZ – Rapid Access to instruments: Special access to measurements with neutrons to study the corona virus SARS-CoV-2 or the disease COVID-19. (Details about the service here).

• National Hydrogen Centre CNH2: Hydrogen and fuel cell developments covering the whole value chain. CNH2 provides rapid access to laboratories and services, such as laser cutting machines, 3d printers and machining centres. (Details about the service here).

• Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) – SLS and SwissFEL – Rapid access to instruments: “PRIORITY COVID-19 Call” for short proposals and quick peer review to enable rapid access to beamtime. Researchers can study basic virus function and effect on the respiratory system. (Details about the service here).
• Petra III beamlines at DESY – Rapid access to instruments:  DESY offers special access to beamtime at the synchrotron source PETRA III for COVID-19 related research. (Details about the service here).
• Science for Life Laboratories (SciLifeLab) – Prioritised access: The SciLifeLab infrastructure facilities are offering prioritised access for researchers working on COVID-19-related research projects. Service areas include genomics, spatial omics, proteomics, metabolomics, single cell biology, imaging, structural biology, chemical biology, genome engineering, diagnostics development, drug discovery and bioinformatics.
• Central Laser Facility at STFC – Rapid access to instruments: CLF offers access to its Octopus imaging facility for research relevant to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19. The facility provides a comprehensive range of optical microscopy instruments and techniques. (Details about the service here).
• SOLEIL Synchrotron – Rapid access to instruments: Scientific research into the nature of the virus, the means to protect against it and reduce its virulence. (Details about the service here).

Health and Food ► Summary table

• BBMRI-ERIC – Resources from biobanks across Europe: The network of 600+ biobanks presents a list of those BBMRI national nodes and biobanks that provided specific information on the resources they can make available to researchers (academic and from the private sector) working on COVID-19. (Details about the service here).
• EATRIS-ERIC – Fast access to services and facilities: EATRIS provides key services for researchers and/or research teams (academic or industrial) that are developing a potential therapy, vaccine or tool for use against the current COVID-19 pandemic, with secured funding. Read here EATRIS Members’ COVID-19 activities and services. (Details about the service here).
• ECRIN-ERIC – Fast track access: ECRIN provides support and operational services to the planning, design and management of multinational clinical trials in Europe. (Details about the service here).
• ELIXIR – Data services and resources, analysis tools, compute and other services: As the ESFRI Research Infrastructure for life science data, ELIXIR Nodes provide a range of services that can be used by researchers and consortia working on SARS-CoV-2 research.
• EMBL-EBI – EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute: Data resources relating to the COVID-19 outbreak, including sequences of outbreak isolates and records relating to coronavirus biology. Researchers can also submit their COVID-19 data and make them openly accessible to the research community.

• ERINHA, the European Research Infrastructure on Highly Pathogenic Agents, offers access to high containment facilities (BSL3 & BSL4) for in vitro and in-vivo pre-clinical research on SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. (Details about the service here).

• Euro-BioImaging ERIC – Rapid access to data and resources related to imaging: Biological and biomedical imaging technologies are essential for addressing many of the research questions related to the virus, SARS-CoV-2, and the COVID-19 disease it induces, from fundamental research at the molecular and cellular level to medical applications and diagnostics. (Details of the service here). 
• EU-OPENSCREEN’s partner sites are currently engaged in a range of activities to study the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 with focus on drug discovery including screening campaigns of local repurposing libraries. (Details about the service here).

•  EVA: The European Virus Archive (EVA-Global) is a virtual collection for human, animal and plant viruses, that provides researchers with the necessary material for diagnosing coronavirus infection. EVA provides access provision of COVID-19 virus and related reagents for the molecular and serological detection of the virus in clinical samples. (Details about the service here).

• ICGEB offers access to resources, tools and know-how to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
• Infrafrontier –  Access to resources: Infrafrontier offers specialised resources and emergency archiving of Mouse Models to aid essential research and preserve valuable strains. (Details about the service here).
• Instruct-ERIC – Rapid access to instruments: Instruct-ERIC is the single point of access to technology and expertise for structural biology research. Priority access is offered to groups that need to use the structural biology services for projects directly related to COVID-19 viral proteins. (Details about the service here).

• IRTA-CReSA is a public research institute devoted to research in animal health following the One Health concept. It supports research in animal health field but also human health, animal models for human infectious diseases, inactivation viral studies, antiviral assays, and vaccine development and testing. (Details about the service here).

• LifeWatch-ERIC facilities allow research on epidemiology modelling, large scale data management (including Blockchain-based technologies). COVID-19 initiatives on the way. (Details about the service here).
• METROFOOD-RI provides access to an open information service with organised inventory of research findings, risk assessment and monitoring results related to food & COVID-19, with reference to the whole food chain, from primary production to final consumption. (Details about the service here).
• NANBIOSIS provides rapid access for COVID-19 research. It offers preclinical stages services of biomedical product development. Specifically, synthesis and preparation of biomolecules like antibodies, peptides, recombinant proteins, oligonucleotides for diagnostic therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. (Details of the service here).
• SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and its ExPASy portal provide access to scientific databases and software tools (such as analysis tools) to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. (Details about the service here). 
• TRANSVAC2 – European Vaccine Research and Development Infrastructure: Supports innovation and accelerates vaccine development by offering high-quality technical services across the R&D pipeline to academic and non-academic research groups, including SMEs. TRANSVAC2 services are free of charge with few exceptions, and can be targeted for any disease, for prophylactic, therapeutic, human and veterinary vaccines.

Digit ► Summary table

• EGI and EOSC Synergy – Access to a cloud computing platform: EGI and EOSC Synergy have joined forces to set up a cloud computing platform that supports COVID-19 research efforts.The platform is based on the Galaxy service and offers researchers access to datasets relevant to the ongoing investigations on the COVID-19.
• EGI and OSG in the USA provide access to technical support, specialized simulation tools, and compute and storage resources to speed-up research on COVID-19.  
• Exscalate4CoV has set up a ‘drug box’ where companies and research institutes can send molecular structures from their compound libraries for rapid screening against the crystal structure of the new coronavirus in some Europe’s largest supercomputers.
• PRACE – Rapid access to resources: PRACE is welcoming project proposals requesting computing resources to contribute to the mitigation of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Details about the service here).

Environment ► Summary table

• ACTRIS –  Access to data: ACTRIS provides an insight into the European air quality and atmospheric composition during the European lockdown. The data centre is available here. (Details about the service here).
• CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almeria: The CIEMAT-PSA is not operating at this moment, however it will be in a short notice. The research centre incorporates a fully equipped laboratory of water sample analysis, with a microbiology laboratory specialized in water disinfection provided also with DNA analysis by PCR Real time. (Details about the service here).

Cultural and Societal Innovation ► Summary table

• CLARIN-ERIC allows the analysis of large volumes of medical records and publications in textual format and detection of misinformation in mainstream and social media. (Details about the service here).
• CESSDA-ERIC – Access to COVID-19 datasets in the CESSDA data catalogue. The CESSDA Data Catalogue is a platform for researchers wanting to find and reuse social science and humanities research data. It contains metadata of surveys in the holdings of CESSDA’s Service Providers. The data files themselves are available through each individual data archive. All COVID-19-related metadata will be harvested to the Data Catalogue as they become available to CESSDA Service Providers. 
• DARIAH-ERIC maintains a set of registries essential for humanities research and brokers access to tools and services via its distributed structure and in-kind contribution model. This allows the long-term perspective on the social and cultural shifts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, DARIAH is launching a call for proposals under its bi-annual DARIAH Theme funding scheme that will seek specific responses to the pandemic that engage arts and humanities sources, approaches and insight. One of the areas of emphasis in this scheme is on how DARIAH will collect, curate, preserve and interpret the heterogenous record of the experience of life and work in early 2020. (Details about the service here).
• European Social Survey-ERIC (ESS) – Using survey data to understand the crisis: European Social Survey data collected in up to 38 countries across Europe every two years since 2002 remains freely available for anyone to access and analyse. In particular, consideration of responses to survey questions on happiness, loneliness, social relationships, health and wellbeing as well as trust in other people, government and institutions (including health services) is helpful for providing some context to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, 20 items asking people specifically about Coronavirus will be included in the ESS Round 10 (2020/21) questionnaire. Half of these questions were selected for inclusion following a call for proposals that was open to all academics and researchers.
• SHARE-ERIC contributes to research about the social, health and economic impact of COVID-19. Across 27 European countries and Israel, a special SHARE Corona questionnaire is currently being prepared, covering various research areas: Infection and Health, Mental health, Economic, Social Network, Healthcare. The data will offer researchers the possibility to measure and interpret differences in a cross-country and a longitudinal dimension. (Details about the service here).

Other sources presenting COVID-19 related activities of Research Infrastructures: 

– ESFRI: Find here the ESFRI’s dedicated webpage for COVID-19 resources and activities.

– ERIC Forum: Find here the overview of ERICs’ COVID-19 initiatives.

– LENS: Find here how LENS fight against COVID-19 using neutrons.

– LEAPS: Find here the COVID-19 rapid accesses at LEAPS member facilities.

– European Life Science Research Infrastructures: Find here details about the services.

– Lightsource.org: Find here the SARS-CoV-2 publications of light source facilities.

We thank ERIC Forum, LENS and LEAPS initiatives for encouraging their members to provide us with the information and the updates.

[1] Infrastructures that are open for international users and include national infrastructures as well as European networks and consortia of research infrastructures.

This page is being updated on a daily basis, however, considering the COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving, we kindly ask you to refer to the website of each Research Infrastructure for the latest updates. 

Find here the ESFRI’s dedicated webpage for COVID-19 resources and activities.

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The SARS-CoV-2 illustration in the above banner was created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and it reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Image by: CDC/ Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS