Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

The "From Molecules to Patients to Policies Symposium" (http://idigh.ca/symposium/) is the third annual symposium organized by the Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program (www.idigh.ca). It is to be held at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) on October 20, 2017. The main objective of the symposium is to assemble clinicians, researchers and trainees who share an interest in infectious diseases and immunity in global health. Symposium attendants will learn about new discoveries, trends and perspectives in the field. The exchange of research ideas will lead to new collaborations within the RI-MUHC/McGill University community but also with external groups in Montreal and Quebec. The speakers include top experts and opinion leaders in the fields of translational immunology and transplantation (Dr. Megan Sykes), immunopathogenesis (Dr. Steven Holland), HIV/AIDS prevention (Dr. Chris Beyrer), and vaccine safety and vaccination policy (Dr. Gaston De Serres and Dr. Danuta Skowronski). The expertise of these speakers covers six of the eight research priority areas, as defined by the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity. The selection of these speakers also reflects the broad range of research interests of the IDIGH program members. It is expected that this symposium will bring together over 250 participants from the greater Montreal area and Quebec City. It will lead to significant scientific interactions and the identification of new research questions and opportunities for collaborative research and funding. Since the symposium provides ample opportunity for discussions and one-on-one interactions with leaders in the field, this will be an excellent learning experience for trainees. Funding from CIHR will ensure the success of this symposium and allow us to successfully pursue the translational mission of IDIGH while integrating IDIGH program activities with the larger scientific community in Quebec.