About ISID

At the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID), our mission is to support health professionals, non-government organizations, and governments around the world in their work to prevent, investigate, and manage infectious disease outbreaks when they occur. ISID has a particular focus in countries that have limited resources and which disproportionately bear the burden of infectious diseases.

ISID recognizes:

The intersection of infectious diseases in humans, animals, and plants.
That infectious diseases cross all national and regional boundaries.
That effective long-term solutions require international scientific exchange and cooperation.

The Society is dedicated to developing partnerships and to finding solutions to the problems of infectious diseases across the globe and encourages the collaborative efforts of human health, veterinary health, and environmental health communities working locally, nationally, and globally for best control and management of infectious diseases.

Our goals are to:

Improve global pandemic/epidemic preparedness following the One Health concept.
Build a global infectious diseases community.
Deliver high-quality, globally relevant education.
Facilitate the implementation of practical solutions to the challenges associated with outbreaks of infectious diseases.
Increase the impact of research developed in low and low-middle income countries in the regions where it has been developed.
Build infectious diseases capacity in low and low-middle income countries.
Stimulate science for the global good.

The Society is a non-profit, apolitical and transparent organization open to all individuals interested in infectious diseases.

People

The International Society for Infectious Diseases brings together a network of individuals from around the world who share a collective belief that infectious diseases cross all national and regional boundaries and that long-term effective solutions require international scientific exchange and cooperation.

ISID and its members are dedicated to developing partnerships and programs that facilitate the development of innovative solutions to infectious disease challenges around the globe, enabled by an effective and inclusive governance model.

History

The International Society for Infectious Diseases was created in 1986 by a merger between the International Congress on Infectious Diseases and The International Federation on Infectious and Parasitic Diseases.

The Congress had been established in 1983 as a scientific assembly for the exchange of research and clinical information in infectious diseases open to any interested individual. An ad-hoc Executive Committee for the Congress initiated discussions with the IFIPD that culminated in the 1986 merger of these two organizations. The 1st ISID Congress organized by the newly created Society was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1988.

Executive Committee Members

President
Paul Tambyah, Singapore

Past-president
Alison Holmes, United Kingdom

President-elect
Sally Roberts, New Zealand

Treasurer
Sally Roberts, New Zealand

Members-at-Large
Jaffar Al-Tawfiq, Saudi Arabia
Gonzalo Bearman, United States
Robert Heyderman, United Kingdom
Neelika Malavige, Sri Lanka
Helena Maltezou, Greece
Connie Walyaro, Kenya

Council Members

Rashad ABDUL-GHANI (Yemen)
Patricio ACOSTA (Argentina)
Sitara AJJAMPUR (India)
Jaffar AL-TAWFIQ (Saudi Arabia)
Fatma AMER (Egypt)
Elizabeth ASHLEY (Lao PDR)
Nadia ATIYA (Malaysia)
Tayo BABALOBI (Nigeria)
Athanase BADOLO (Burkina Faso)
Aleksandra BARAC (Serbia)
Rijal BASISTA (Nepal)
Gonzalo BEARMAN (United States)
Anil Kumar BHOLA (India)
Ashutosh BISWAS (India)
Paolo CALISTRI (Italy)
Doo Ryeon CHUNG (South Korea)
Robert COLEBUNDERS (Belgium)
Chad CROSS (United States)
Devika DIXIT (Canada)
Tatiana DRUMMOND (Venezuela)
Laura GILLIM (United States)
Kerushini GOVENDER (New Zealand)
Carta GUNAWAN (Indonesia)
David HAMER (United States)
Aamer IKRAM (Pakistan)
Monica JUNIE (Romania)
Lilani KARUNANAYAKE (Sri Lanka)
Hakan LEBLECIOGLU(Turkey)
David LEWIS (Australia)
David LYE (Singapore)
Boubacar MAIGA (Mali)
Helena MALTEZOU (Greece)
Nada MELHEM (Lebanon)
Fingani MPHANDE-NYASULU (Thailand)
Henry MWANDUMBA (Malawi)
Nicola PETROSILLO (Italy)
Xiang REN (China)
Michael RICHARDS (Australia)
Mohamed RHAJAOUI (Morocco)
Alfonso J. RODRIGUEZ-MORALES (Colombia)
Nir RUDOLER (Israel)
Maysaa SAED (Egypt)
Alessandra SCAGLIARINI (Italy)
Sadia SHAKOOR (Pakistan)
Anita SHET (United States)
Ernest TAMBO (Cameroon)
Belay TESSEMA (Ethiopia)
Zegeye Hailemariam TESSEMA (Ethiopia)
Chinyere UKAGA (Nigeria)
Constance Georgina WALYARO (Kenya)
Chadia WANNOUS (Sweden)
Sean WASSERMAN (South Africa)
Ahmad WAQAS (Pakistan)

Emerging Leaders

In recognition of their past contributions to the field of international infectious diseases and in anticipation of their future impact on the discipline, these individuals are recognized as ISID Emerging Leaders in International Infectious Diseases.

Joseph Agboeze (Nigeria)
Amal Al-Maani (Oman)
Afreenish Amir (Pakistan)
Fatima Aziz (Pakistan)
Muge Cevik (United Kingdom)
Esmita Charani (United Kingdom)
Youssef Dalal (Lebanon)
Bethany Davies (United Kingdom)
Angel Desai (United States)
Abiodun Egwuenu (Nigeria)
Elita Jauneikaite (United Kingdom)
Jasmin Islam (United Kingdom)
David Moore (South Africa)
Vrina Nampoothiri (India)
Muhammed Niyas (India)
Christina Obiero (Kenya)
Laura Oliveira (Brazil)
Tatiana Pinto (Brazil)
Laura Talarico (Argentina)
Alemayehu Tinase (Ethiopia)
Jason Trubiano (Australia)
Sophie Yacoub (Vietnam)

Committees

Publications and Education Committee

Research Committee

Nomination and Remuneration Committee

The Congress Program Committee

Finance Committee

External Affairs, Policy, & Advocacy Committee

Governance

ISID is governed by a council, elected by its membership. The Council is organized by geographical region to ensure representation from all the areas of the world. The membership, upon the recommendation of the Council, also approves the composition of the Executive Committee and its officers who are charged with overall responsibility of the Society’s activities and the appointment of an executive director who has day-to-day responsibility for all society business.

Executive Director/CEO

Appointed by the Executive Committee and responsible for the day-to-day running of the Society.

Executive Committee

Responsible for appointing the Executive Director and overseeing all of ISID’s activities, the Executive Committee is composed of:

Five officers of the Society: President, President-Elect, Past-President, Treasurer and General Secretary, each serving a four year term.
Four members-at-large, each serving a six year term.
One representative of the region hosting the next International Congress on Infectious Diseases, serving a two year term.

Executive Committee members are elected by Council Members at biennial General Meetings of the Society held in conjunction with the Society’s International Congress on Infectious Diseases.

Any Council member interested in serving on ISID’s Executive Committee may submit their name, CV and Statement of Interest to the Nominations Committee for consideration. The Nominations Committee draws up a short list of candidates based on nominees’ professional excellence; past and proposed future contributions to the work of the society; and ensuring balanced geographical representation.

The Council of the International Society of Infectious Diseases

Responsible for governing ISID, the Council consists of not more than sixty members each serving a six year term with one-third of Council membership being replaced every two years. Membership is distributed by WHO region to ensure that all regions of the world are represented in the Society’s governing structure.

Council members are elected by Society members at biennial General Meetings of the Society held in conjunction with the Society’s International Congress on Infectious Diseases.

Any member in good standing may submit his or her name to the Nominations Committee for consideration for Council membership.

The Nominations Committee proposes candidates to fill vacancies on the Council based on a nominee’s professional excellence; past and proposed future contributions to the work of the society; and ensuring balanced geographical representation.

The Council serves as both the legislative body of the Society and consulting body for the Executive Committee. Individual members are responsible for:

Promoting membership of the Society.
Supporting the implementation of the Society’s goals through the dissemination of information about the Society and distributing Society materials at local and regional meetings.
Leading local and regional infectious diseases societies, and working closely and collaboratively with these groups to promote the Society and its programs.
Maintaining the Society’s worldwide representation.
Representing the Society at scientific meetings.
Reviewing applications for ISID grant and fellowship programs and/or abstracts submitted for presentation at ISID meetings (two-six hours per annum).
Participating in the Society’s various sub-committees including Research, Education and Publications; External Affairs, ProMED, Finance, Nominations, or Programs. Sub-committee meetings are usually held “virtually” by Skype/teleconference three times a year. The role of the subcommittees is evolving, and members may be invited to take on additional activities, as determined by the subcommittee chair.
Establishing and maintaining contact with possible sources of funding for the work of the Society and its meetings such as foundations, government agencies, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Note: Any fundraising activity on behalf of the Society must be coordinated through the ISID office in Brookline, MA, USA.

Council members are also encouraged to:

Attend the International Congress on Infectious Diseases and to submit abstracts to the Congress. The Society will waive the registration fee of Council members but cannot guarantee any financial help to assist with participation.

Contribute and solicit articles and other information (including scheduled events) suitable for publication in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Note: Council members receive no compensation for their efforts on behalf of the Society.