Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Since the inaugural meeting in 2010, the MedVetPathogens conferences have been an invaluable source of information on animal, human and zoonotic infections, with an emphasis on bacterial pathogenesis, antibiotic resistance, and control. The MedVetPathogens home is the beautiful Monash University Prato Centre within the 18th-century Palazzo Vaj, located in the old town region of Prato, Italy. Prato is the third major city in Tuscany, located only 20 km/30-minute train journey from Florence. The MedVetPathogens conference community supports the One Health ethos and considers all pathogens are within an evolutionary continuum; any differences between human and veterinary pathogens are the consequence of niche and host adaptive processes. Research that leads to improved antimicrobial stewardship is an essential component of this ethos and in 2025 we again welcome contributions that report on antimicrobial resistance and the development of novel antimicrobials. Keynote speakers for MedVetPathogens 2025 are Professor Georgina Cox from the University Nottingham, Professor Jean-Marco Ghico from The University of Dublin, and Professor Mark Lawrence from Mississippi State University. The 2025 multinational organizing committee includes John Boyce (Australia), Marina Harper (Australia), Kasper Rømer Villumsen (Denmark), and Tom Inzana (United States). We warmly welcome all international delegates from research, educational and organizational backgrounds to join the MedVetPathogens conference community in Prato in May 2025. The MedVetPathogens 2025 conference will be held at the Monash University Prato Centre, situated on the ground and first floors of the elegant 18th century Palazzo Vaj on Via Pugliesi in the historic centre of Prato, Italy. The Monash University Prato Centre, housed in Palazzo Vaj, is in the centre of the old town of Prato, only two minutes away from the city's cathedral and walking distance from both train stations (Prato Porta Al Serraglio and Prato Centrale).
Animal Health Component
20%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
60%
Applied
20%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
This proposal seeks support for MedVetPathogens 2025, the 7th Prato Conference on Animal Bacterial Pathogens. This conference is the only international meeting whose focus is on animal bacterial pathogens. However, One Health interactions between humans, animals, and the environment is also a conference focus, as agricultural practices and the interchange of bacteria between humans and animals are critical factors to human and animal health. The major goalsof this conference are to: 1) promote the worldwide exchange of research information concerning bacterial pathogens that infect animals, and zoonotic or similar infections of humans, 2) foster interaction and collaboration between senior and junior scientists working on bacterial pathogens of animals and related human pathogens, 3) increase the number of attendees to MedVetPathogens 2025 from the United States. The USDA-NIFA FY 2023Program Area Priority this project addresses is Diseases of Agricultural Animals (Priority Code A1221), within Animal Health and Production and Animal Products. This conference brings together investigators addressing molecular research on the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and vaccine development of bacterial pathogens of animals, particularly agricultural animals. Keynote and invited speakers on the cuting edge of research in this field will highlight the presentations. Our goal is to assist students, postdocs, and new faculty from the U.S.A. who are working on bacterial pathogens of animals to attend MedVetPathogens 2025. Networking with international colleagues will enhance their knowledgebase of these pathogens and the diseases they cause, and enhance the capability of the next generation of U.S.A. scientists to reduce bacterial diseases of agricultural animals.
Project Methods
The Organizing Committee collaborates on the selection of the speakers, and each member contributes to design of the program. Keynote and invited speakers are selected based on relevance of their topic to bacterial animal pathogens, location, and gender. Keynote speakers are well established, seasoned speakers and scientists who have risen to the top in their field, and have continued to be highly productive. These funds will support 1 keynote speaker and two invited speakers from the U.S.A. who are exceptional investigatorson bacterial pathogens relevant to agricultural animals, andwill provide financial assistance and a stimulating scientific venue to encourage participation of graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and new investigators from the U.S.A. Information and application forms for applying for these funds will be provided in the final program that will be released in Winter 24/25. In brief, on the abstract form there will be a box to check as to status of the presenter (student, postdoc, new investigator, etc.) and if applying for a travel grant. Trainees will be selected based on submission of an abstract for either poster or oral presentation. The trainee must be the first author and presenter of the work. If the abstract is approved for presentation, and the presenter is from the U.S.A., that person qualifies for the training award. The conference organizing committee members review and judge the abstracts as acceptable or not acceptable. The criterion for acceptance is based on the abstract matching one of the conference focus areas (Infection Microbiology, Antimicrobial Resistance, Genomics,, Epidemiology, Virulence, Pathogenesis, Immunity, and Vaccines), following abstract guidelines, and quality of the science.On each day of the conference the keynote and invited speakers from that day will be available to meet with trainees for lunch at the conference venue. These meetings will provide a forum for dialogue between young investigators and leading scientists in their field. The format of these lunches is to have each invited speaker meet with as many students and junior faculty as possible to answer any questions they may have, or for general discussions. Speakers will also be available for conversations during coffee breaks if they are not able to meet with interested young scientists during lunch.The success of VetMedPathogens 2025 will be assessed by the majority of the attendees, as has been the process for past VetMedPathogens conferences. On the last day of the meeting people attending the business meeting will be queried as to their perception of the meeting, whether another meeting should occur, and where and when the meetingshould be held. For past meetings attendees have had high praise for this conferenceand have always voted to have the meeting every two years at Prato. One change made this year in response to prior suggestions is to hold the meeting in the late Spring, rather than Fall. This move should eliminate conflicts with teaching and other conferences in the Fall, as most University classes are not in session by late May. As a result, we expect more students will be able to attend. This year a questionnaire will be sent to all attendees after the meeting for their opinion of positive and negative aspects of the conference, and any recommendations for future meetings. The Proceedings of conference abstracts will be established and made available on-line (in paper form at the meeting).