Dr. Anthony Pilorget holds a PhD in Immunology from Aix-Marseille II University and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). Following his doctoral studies, he obtained an MBA in International Management from HEC Montréal. Anthony subsequently worked for several pharmaceutical companies, including GSK and Novavax, where he served as R&D Director.

Dr. Christopher P. Locher, PhD is the CEO and a co-founder of Versatope Therapeutics, a clinical-stage Massachusetts-based company currently focused on the development of immunotherapeutic using nano-vesicles. He previously led drug discovery projects at Vertex Pharmaceuticals in Boston, inflammatory diseases at Opsona Therapeutics in Ireland and malaria and alpha viruses vaccines at Maxygen in California. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco, was a Fulbright Hays Research Fellow at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium and received his PhD in Tropical Medicine and BA in Biological Sciences from the University of Hawai`i.

Dr. Kemal Karaca, DVM, MSc, PhD, is a Strategic R&D Advisor and global animal health leader with over 25 years of experience driving vaccine development from discovery through commercial launch. Throughout his distinguished career holding senior executive roles at Merck Animal Health, Zoetis, Elanco, and Merial, Kemal has successfully led multi-jurisdictional approvals (USDA, EMA) for poultry, companion animal, equine, and swine biologics across diverse modalities, including live attenuated, recombinant, and monoclonal antibody platforms. Notably, as Head of Global R&D at Curtiss Healthcare, he built an R&D organization from the ground up to deliver a first-in-class recombinant vaccine from concept to licensure in just three years. An expert in portfolio governance, BSL-2/3 compliance, and M&A integration, Kemal holds a DVM from the University of Uludag, Turkey an MSc in Comparative Pathology from UC Davis, and a PhD in Virology from Cornell University, alongside an extensive portfolio of patents and publications.

Dr. Sasha Shafikhani completed his undergraduate and doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. He is currently a Professor and the Director of Microbiome Research in the Department of Dermatology at UC Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Shafikhani has served on the editorial boards of 13 scientific journals and is currently an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Microbiology and Scientific Reports. Additionally, he has contributed to grants evaluation panels for prominent organizations such as National Institutes of Health (NIH), NASA, European Science Foundation (ESF), and various other national and international research funding agencies. As a cellular microbiologist, Dr. Shafikhani leads research projects focusing on host/pathogen interaction, normal and chronic wound healing, immunomodulator-based therapeutics, and cancer biology. His research has been supported by grants from NIH, philanthropic funds, and institutional grants.

Dr. Eric A. Scheinbart, MD practices Integrative and Alternative medicine for cancer and chronic diseases.For more than twenty years, with the conviction to improve health, longevity and the quality of life with Naturopathic Immunotherapies of plant based, organic compounded proprietary blend that stimulates the patient’s natural immune system to heal itself. Dr. Scheinbart is a board-certified physician and Mahareshi Ayurvedic trained physician, a board-Certified diplomat of the American Academy of Anti-Aging and a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition. He has successfully improved the health, longevity and quality of life of patients with prostate, breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers as well as many other cancers, chronic diseases such as diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases like MS, Parkinson’s disease and dementia and viruses, such as Herpes, EBV and Covid-19.He has been recognized by the NIH/NCI for his work and presented in Bethesda at the NIH.

Dr. Frederick Wittke is a physician, clinical researcher, and co founder of Arthama GmbH, a Switzerland based platform advancing modern vaccine clinical development through scientific clarity and high quality education. With nearly 30 years of experience across vaccines, infectious diseases, oncology, and immunology, he has held leadership roles at MSD, Debiopharm, Novartis, and GSK, guiding cross functional development teams and global programme strategy. He has contributed to the successful development of several major vaccines and monoclonal antibodies — including Capvaxive, Vaxneuvance, Gardasil 9, Varivax, Vaxelis, and clesrovimab — supporting clinical strategy, study design, and evidence generation across early and late phase development. Dr. Wittke is the author of over 100 peer reviewed publications, with work appearing in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, npj Vaccines, and the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. His scientific contributions span maternal immunization, pneumococcal vaccines, viral diseases, and immune mediated conditions. Through Arthama, he integrates clinical science, statistical reasoning, and programme architecture to help teams avoid structural pitfalls in biologics development. He is recognised for a clear, modern approach to clinical development — combining scientific depth with operational realism.

Gautam Sanyal, Ph.D. is a scientific expert with extensive experience in vaccine and biopharmaceutical research, development, and global health. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia, USA, and held academic faculty positions at the University of Florida, Mayo Clinic, and Hamilton College before transitioning to the pharmaceutical industry. Over a 27-year career in pharmaceutical discovery and development, he held leadership positions in R&D at Merck, AstraZeneca, and MedImmune. He is currently involved in global health initiatives as a CMC Subject Matter Expert with the Gates Foundation and has worked with organizations including CEPI, PATH, and the International Vaccine Institute. His expertise includes vaccine analytical characterization, biophysical methods, formulation development, and emerging vaccine technologies, particularly mRNA vaccines. He has also contributed extensively to antibacterial therapeutics and has authored numerous highly cited research papers, review articles, and book chapters.

Dr. Jocelyn Yelle is a virologist with extensive expertise in retroviruses, herpesviruses, and antiviral drug discovery. He holds an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Virology from the Armand-Frappier Institute, now part of the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS). His research career has focused on viral persistence, oncogenic mechanisms of human Cytomegalovirus, and the development of small-molecule therapeutics for HIV/AIDS. He co-founded Pharmacor Inc., where several potent antiviral compounds were subsequently acquired by Merck & Co. for further development. Dr. Yelle is the Founder and President of Antiviral InteliStrat, providing scientific consulting to biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and is the creator of the Viropendium antiviral drug and vaccine database. He has served as a keynote speaker, session chair, and scientific reviewer internationally, and has contributed to 39+ peer-reviewed publications and 8 U.S. patents related to experimental HIV/AIDS therapeutics.

Dr. Kadhim AlAbady is a distinguished public health and epidemiology specialist with more than 20 years of experience across academia, international organizations, and national healthcare systems. He is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health (FFPH, UK) and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (FRCP). Dr. AlAbady holds a Doctorate in Public Health and Epidemiology, a Master’s in Clinical Epidemiology (MSc), and a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from universities in the Netherlands. He is also a registered Grade A Epidemiologist with the Netherlands Epidemiological Society. Since 1999, he has held senior positions at leading institutions, including Erasmus University Rotterdam, Queen Mary University of London, University of East Anglia, the United Nations, the UK National Health Service, Qatar’s National Health Authority, and Dubai Health Authority. His expertise focuses on research and development strategies for non-communicable diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, mental health, and population health. He has authored numerous publications and made significant contributions to public health research, policy, and healthcare development worldwide.

Dr. Athena Soulika, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of California, Davis, and an Investigator at Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California. Her research focuses on inflammation and immune responses in wound healing, with particular emphasis on burn wounds. Her work explores the mechanisms underlying impaired wound healing and infection, with a growing interest in developing innovative strategies for the detection and treatment of wound infections. Her research integrates immunological, molecular, and cellular approaches, alongside collaborative efforts to develop innovative technologies for wound monitoring and improved patient care.

Dr. Jorge E. Osorio DVM, MS, PhD,has had a lengthy career in medical sciences, ranging from virology, field epidemiological studies, vaccinology, antivirals, vector control programs, and global health. Dr. Osorio was the director of the Global Health Institute for UW-Madison between 2022-2025.He recently co-founded VaxThera, a Colombian-based company that will produce vaccines and biologicals for Colombia and the region.Dr. Osorio was also a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Inviragen, LLC. This company developed a novel chimeric tetravalent dengue vaccine that completed Phase 3 clinical trials and is now commercially available in many countries. He also developed vaccines against chikungunya, Zika, influenza, rabies, plague,Nipah, yellow fever,and many other emerging infectious diseases. He has expertise in vaccine design and optimization of antigen expression, and has used mRNA, viral vectors, live attenuated, and recombinant protein expression systems to develop novel vaccines. Dr. Osorio was also the Vice-President of Research and Vice-President of Government Affairs for the Vaccine Business Division of Takeda Pharmaceuticals.Dr. Osorio worked for the World Mosquito Program and created business opportunities to implement Wolbachia as a strategy for vector control in several Latin American countries. His industry career also included positions at Heska Corporation (Ft. Collins, CO), Merial LTD (Athens, GA), and Chiron-Powderject Vaccines (Madison, WI). He has more than 35 years of research and industry experience, with over200 scientific publications in international journals and 33 patents.

Dr. Cynthia N. Brysch, PhD, is an award-winning global expert in Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, specializing in AI-enabled clinical development, regenerative medicine, and advanced therapeutics. As Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Devine Guidance International (DGII), she leads global QA/RA strategy, clinical quality oversight, and regulatory remediation across biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device programs. With over 20 years of experience and more than 500 product development campaigns, Dr. Brysch is known for translating complex innovations—including cell and gene therapies, CRISPR technologies, and AI-integrated clinical systems—into compliant, inspection-ready programs. An FDA Lead Assessor, ICH committee member, ISO accrediting authority, and CAP Inspector, she is recognized for her “science-to-compliance” approach, enabling safe and globally harmonized therapeutic advancements.

Dr. José Ignacio Lao Villadóniga, MD, is a distinguished Clinical Genetics specialist, Medical Director of Genomic Genetics International, and Professor at the European School of Precision Health Sciences. He has also served as a faculty member and lecturer for postgraduate programs at the University of Barcelona (IL3-UB). Dr. Lao is a board member of the Spanish Society of Anti-Ageing Medicine and Longevity (SEMAL) and a scientific advisor to the Spanish Society of Precision Health (SESAP). Renowned for his contributions to precision medicine, neurodegenerative, and neurodevelopmental disorders, Dr. Lao identified and published the first genetic mutation in Spain—and the third worldwide—in the PSEN2 gene associated with familial Type 4 Alzheimer’s disease. He also pioneered innovative methylation-based approaches to neurodegeneration and authored influential research on novel therapeutic targets for Alzheimer’s disease. His groundbreaking work in genomic and epigenomic analysis of Autism Spectrum Disorder has established a framework for personalized clinical interventions and led to the development of specialized precision-medicine programs implemented internationally.

Dr. Graeme Ladds has worked in the field of global Pharmacovigilance for the last 35 years. In that time he has worked with many different product types both in the clinical and post-marketing phase which has included vaccines since 1994. Graeme has developed a number of systems to enhance patient safety including for vaccines as well as ensuring that whatever the volumes of uptake globally for vaccines and for monitoring the data was accurate and complete.

Prof. Dr. Gürkan Ersoy is a distinguished General Surgeon and Emergency Medicine specialist with over 40 years of experience in medical practice, education, disaster management, and healthcare leadership. He graduated from Trakya University Faculty of Medicine in 1984 and completed his specialization in General Surgery at Sivas Cumhuriyet University in 1991. Throughout his academic career at Dokuz Eylül University, he earned the titles of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor, while also serving in several leadership positions, including Founding Acting Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Director of the Academic Emergency Medicine and Disaster Education Center (ATAMER). Prof. Ersoy received advanced training in emergency medicine, trauma surgery, and disaster management in Israel and the United States. He has authored nearly 100 scientific publications, contributed to 15 academic books, and participated in over 500 scientific congresses and educational programs. Currently, he serves as a lecturer at International Cyprus University and a Visiting Lecturer at İzmir Tınaztepe University, with a growing focus on Artificial Intelligence applications in medicine.

Dr. Giuseppe Leone is a distinguished hematology scholar and Editor-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases (MJHID), a position he has held since 2009. With over 15 years of experience, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the journal into a respected platform for disseminating high-quality research in hematology and infectious diseases. Under his leadership, MJHID has achieved an official Web of Science Impact Factor of 3.2 (2024), reflecting its growing academic influence. His expertise spans hematology, infectious diseases, internal medicine, statistics, and editorial management. Dr. Leone is committed to advancing scientific knowledge and fostering international collaboration among researchers and healthcare professionals. He has contributed extensively to scientific publications and has received several recognitions in his field. Fluent in English, French, and Italian, he actively engages with the global medical community.

Dr. Rao is a distinguished academician, researcher, and administrator with nearly five decades of experience in medical education, microbiology, immunology, virology, and infectious diseases. He has served as Professor and held academic leadership positions in universities and medical colleges across India, China, Nepal, Libya, the USA, and the Philippines. He is currently Professor of Microbiology and Chairman of the National Council of India and the World Academy of Medical Sciences, Netherlands. Dr. Rao is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh), recipient of an honorary MD (Medicine, USA), the Official World Record Award 2023, the India Book of Records 2021, and a Fellow of the Indian Virology Society.

Dr. Mariano Votta is responsible for EU Affairs at the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva and Director of its EU branch “Active Citizenship Network”. Passionate about health & consumer issues, Mariano has 25 years of experience in advocacy, stakeholder engagement, communication, European Public Affairs & EU funded-projects. Mariano holds a Degree in Political Science and two post-graduate master's degrees in European Public Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility. He is also a journalist with more than 50 publications in international peer-reviewed journals.

Prof. Andrey Dmitrovskiy is a renowned infectious disease specialist, epidemiologist, and researcher with more than 45 years of experience in the diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiology of zoonotic and highly dangerous infectious diseases. After graduating from the Almaty State Medical Institute in 1973, he pursued advanced training in infectious diseases and later earned both his PhD and Doctoral degrees, focusing on yersiniosis and plague. He has held key academic and research positions at the Kazakh Anti-Plague Institute, Kazakh National Medical University, and the National Center for Biotechnology in Almaty, where he currently serves as Head of the Laboratory of Diagnostics and Expertise. Prof. Dmitrovskiy has also worked with the Central Asian Office of the U.S. CDC and AECOM. He has supervised numerous doctoral researchers, authored over 445 scientific publications and six monographs, and contributed to the control of outbreaks including cholera, anthrax, plague, hemorrhagic fevers, and COVID-19 across Central Asia and Vietnam. His research interests include biosafety, epidemic preparedness, and zoonotic infections.