Day 2 got off to a dynamic start, with attendees showcasing their passion for knowledge-sharing and technical discussions in a diverse range of Meeting the Experts sessions.

The morning Plenary session on the “Poly-crisis and Policy Crisis, a perfect storm for AMR” by Dr Sabiha Essack (South African Research Chair in AMR and One Health) received widespread appreciation for her broad perspective on the multifaceted nature of AMR. Dr Essack touched on climate change, loss of biodiversity, peace and conflict, fragile supply chains, and equity. Her exploration of potential solutions to mitigate these interconnected crises resonated deeply with the audience.

Throughout the day, parallel sessions catered to diverse interests, covering topics such as One Health and wastewater surveillance, vaccine hesitancy, rabies, respiratory and enteric infections, clinical infectious diseases (ID), and hot topics in HIV. Attendees had the opportunity to dive into specific fields of interest while exchanging ideas with fellow attendees.

The second plenary session was on Tuberculosis by Dr Alexander Pym (Wellcome) provided an overview of the global tuberculosis landscape, taking us from the pipeline for new drugs and shortened courses to the threat of AMR. Dr Pym conveyed the excitement of TB vaccines for prevention of both new infections and reactivation of latent TB as well as novel technologies to bring us closer to ending TB as a public health threat.

At the Meet the Editors session with IJID One Health Editor-in-Chief, Lucille Blumberg (National Institute of Communicable Diseases), Associate Editor of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID), Moses Bockarie (Njala University), IJID Regions Editor-in-Chief, Esklid Petersen (Rosklide University Center), and International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID) Associate Editor, Alessandra Scagliarni (Universite Di Bologna), the experts shared valuable insights and expertise on the publication process and guidance on scientific publication.

The Policy Discussion session on Health system and resilience led by Dr Paul Brown. Prof Yahaya Mohammed and Dr Mercy Kyeng (Africa CDC) shared valuable perspectives on how policy can strengthen health system resilience.

Oral abstract presentations brought a wealth of fresh research from participants across the globe. Topics included AMR, antimicrobial stewardship, hospital-acquired infections, and infection prevention and control (IPC). Simultaneously, the vibrant poster sessions attracted significant attention, with researchers and clinicians showcasing their work under themes such as influenza, COVID-19, respiratory virus epidemics, healthcare-associated infections, parasitology, fungal infections, virology, One Health, outbreaks, and infectious disease surveillance.

The day concluded with the inspiring ISID Emerging Leaders recognition ceremony. Awards and certificates were presented to outstanding research grant recipients and emerging leaders, celebrating their exceptional achievements and contributions to the field. For several participants, this was a transformative chapter in which much like butterflies emerging from their chrysalis, the ceremony marked the culmination of their ISID emerging leader journey.

At the Meet the Editors session with IJID One Health Editor-in-Chief, Lucille Blumberg (National Institute of Communicable Diseases), Associate Editor of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID), Moses Bockarie (Njala University), IJID Regions Editor-in-Chief, Esklid Petersen (Rosklide University Center), and International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID) Associate Editor, Alessandra Scagliarni (Universite Di Bologna), the experts shared valuable insights and expertise on the publication process and guidance on scientific publication.

The Policy Discussion session on Health system and resilience led by Dr Paul Brown. Prof Yahaya Mohammed and Dr Mercy Kyeng (Africa CDC) shared valuable perspectives on how policy can strengthen health system resilience.

Oral abstract presentations brought a wealth of fresh research from participants across the globe. Topics included AMR, antimicrobial stewardship, hospital-acquired infections, and infection prevention and control (IPC). Simultaneously, the vibrant poster sessions attracted significant attention, with researchers and clinicians showcasing their work under themes such as influenza, COVID-19, respiratory virus epidemics, healthcare-associated infections, parasitology, fungal infections, virology, One Health, outbreaks, and infectious disease surveillance.

The day concluded with the inspiring ISID Emerging Leaders recognition ceremony. Awards and certificates were presented to outstanding research grant recipients and emerging leaders, celebrating their exceptional achievements and contributions to the field. For several participants, this was a transformative chapter in which much like butterflies emerging from their chrysalis, the ceremony marked the culmination of their ISID emerging leader journey.