Healthy People, Healthy Animals

A 2-day symposium in infectious disease prevention

 

September 23-24, 2025

**Please note, this event is now sold out**

Join us as we celebrate 50 years of scientific excellence at VIDO’s Healthy People Healthy Animals Scientific Summit—a two-day event bringing together the brightest minds in infectious disease research. This summit will feature leading experts in virology, bacteriology, immunology, vaccine formulation and delivery, and both animal and non-animal models. Through engaging presentations and discussions, we will showcase groundbreaking research from global thought leaders while also highlighting VIDO’s contributions to advancing health for people and animals. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of infectious disease preparedness.

Confirmed Speakers include:

  • Dr. Alejandra Capozzo - Argentinean National Research Council
  • Dr. Jennifer Corcoran - University of Calgary
  • Dr. Nicolas Collin - CEO, Vaccine Formulation Institute
  • Dr. JoAnne Flynn - University of Pittsburgh
  • Dr. Scott Gray-Owen - University of Toronto
  • Dr. Jörg Jores - University of Bern
  • Dr. Jean-Philippe Julien - Sickkids
  • Dr. Paul Kubes - Queens University
  • Dr. Thomas Mettenleiter - Former President Of The Federal Research Centre For Animal Health, Germany
  • Dr. Chris Netherton - The Pirbright Institute
  • Dr. Steven Rayan - quanTA, University of Saskatchewan
  • Dr. David Safronetz - National Microbiology Lab, Winnipeg

Deadline to register is Sept. 5, 2025.

Agenda

Sept. 23, 2025

8:00 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.: Conference Welcome - Volker Gerdts

8:15 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.: Bacteriology Session Introduction - Dr. Jeffrey Chen

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.: Keynote - Defining protection against tuberculosis - Dr. Joanne Flynn, University of Pittsburgh

9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.: Deciphering of pathogenicity mechanisms and development of novel vaccines using Mycoplasma genome editing Dr. Jörg Jores, University of Bern

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.: TIFAsome-dependent control of bacterial immunopathogenesis Dr. Scott Gray-Owen, University of Toronto

10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: Networking Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: VIDO Research Program Highlights - Drs. Jeffery Chen (Tuberculosis), Arinjay Banerjee (Coronaviruses in Bats), and Antonio Facciuolo (Johne’s Disease)

12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.: Lunch

1:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.:  Enabling Technologies Session Introduction - Dr. Andrew Van Kessel

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.: Keynote - Open-access adjuvants: a key enabling technology for Global Health vaccinesDr. Nicolas Collin, Vaccine Formulation Institute

2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.: Transmission-blocking malaria vaccines: from structures to designs Dr. Jean-Philippe Julien, Sick Kids

3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.Quantum Computing for Vaccines: A Roadmap Dr. Steven Rayan, quanTA, University of Saskatchewan

3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Networking Break

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Selected Abstract Presentations

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.: Networking Reception and Poster Session

Sept. 24, 2025

8:00 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.: Conference Welcome - Volker Gerdts

8:15 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.: Immunology and Vaccine Design Session Introduction - Dr. Heather Wilson

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.: Keynote - Dr. Paul Kubes, Queens University

9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.: Understanding FMD Vaccine Efficacy: The Role of Antibody Quality and Co-infections in CattleDr. Alejandra Capozzo, Argentinean National Research Council

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.: Adenovirus-vectored vaccines against African swine fever Dr. Chris Netherton, The Pirbright Institute

10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: Networking Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: VIDO Research Program Highlights: Drs. Yan Zhou (HPAI), Darryl Falzarano (Lassa virus), and Gordon Broderick (Computational Vaccinology)

12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.: Lunch

1:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.: Virology Session Introduction - Dr. Yan Zhou

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.: Keynote - One Health: the development and importance of a (not so) novel concept - Dr. Thomas Mettenleiter, former President of the Federal Research Centre for Animal Health, Germany

2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.: The importance of animal models in understanding and treating emerging viral diseases Dr. David Safronetz, National Microbiology Lab, Winnipeg

3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.: A truncated SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein enhances virus fitness by evading antiviral responsesDr. Jennifer Corcoran, University of Calgary

3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Networking Break

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Selected Abstract Presentations

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.: Networking Reception and Poster Session

Accommodations

Closest Accommodations:

Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Saskatoon East University