Welcome to the 66th ITM Colloquium!
Health in Motion: Infectious Diseases on the Move
The Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp and the Armauer Hansen Research Institute are pleased to announce the upcoming colloquium on Health in Motion: Infectious Diseases on the Move.
The Colloquium Health in Motion: Infectious Diseases on the Move will bring together researchers, public health professionals, policy makers and innovators from around the world to explore how movement of people, pathogens, vectors, environments, and policies is reshaping the dynamics of infectious diseases, resilience of health systems, and the public health strategies needed to control them.
The Colloquium will be hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In a rapidly changing world, diseases move across borders, cities and ecosystems with increasing speed. Climate change, environmental disruption and changing land use are shifting the habitats of vectors and pathogens, while intensified human–animal interactions raise the risk of zoonotic spillover. At the same time, urbanisation and growing mobility create new pathways for disease occurrence, making cities key environments for understanding how infections spread and evolve. These shifts place growing pressure on health systems to adapt through stronger surveillance, responsive services, and integrated, equitable public health approaches.
Pathogens are constantly on the move—across borders and within the body—spreading, evolving and interacting with immune systems shaped by diverse exposures. This leads to stark differences in vulnerability between populations, especially as emerging infections reshape host–pathogen interactions. Understanding these dynamics is key to explaining why infections unfold so differently worldwide.
Movement also challenges health systems’ ability to ensure continuity of care. Vulnerable populations—especially in fragile and conflict-affected settings—face disruptions in treatment, vaccination and access to medicines. At the same time, shifting funding priorities and reduced international support are increasing pressure on health systems, raising urgent questions about sustainability and resilience.
Advances in digital technologies and surveillance systems offer new opportunities to track and respond to infectious disease threats in a constantly moving world, including through mobile data and innovative monitoring approaches.
Structured around six thematic sessions—covering emerging infections and environmental change, disease biology and resistance, urbanisation, continuity of care, sustainability and health financing, and surveillance—the colloquium will provide a platform for scientific exchange, critical reflection and collaboration.
We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s ITM Colloquium.
The Scientific Committee of the 66th ITM Colloquium
Sessions
The scientific programme is structured around six dynamic plenary sessions to which you can submit an abstract.
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Session Chairs
Session Keynotes
Session Speakers – Oral presentations
Session Speakers – Poster presentations
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Session Speakers – Oral presentations
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Session Chairs
Session Speakers – Poster presentations
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Session Speakers – Poster presentations
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Session Chairs
Session Keynotes
Session Speakers – Oral presentations
Session Speakers – Poster presentations
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Practical
The 2026 ITM Colloquium takes place over three days. The programme starts with an opening evening on Sunday 15 November, leading into two dedicated conference days on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November.
Scientific committee
Please place a short introduction text about this committee. If this short intro is not needed, please contact hallo@roem.studio, upon which this entire text block with top and bottom margins will be deleted (which is better than simply deleting a paragraph).
Organising committee
Please place a short introduction text about this committee. If this short intro is not needed, please contact hallo@roem.studio, upon which this entire text block with top and bottom margins will be deleted (which is better than simply deleting a paragraph).
David
Brown
|
Nutrition and Wellness
|
Wellness Center
|
United Kingdom
Emily
Davis
|
Health Education
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Community Health Services
|
United Kingdom
Jane
Smith
|
Healthcare Policy
|
National Medical Association
|
United Kingdom
Submit your abstract!
The Scientific Committee of the 2026 ITM Colloquium now welcomes the submission of abstracts for original contributions to the topic of Health in Motion: Infectious Diseases on the Move.
Submission guidelines
Authors may submit abstracts relevant to the sessions either as an oral or as a poster contribution. In case you find any difficulty in submitting your abstract electronically, please contact colloquium@itg.be.
Download the reference template.
The main text of the abstract should be maximum 250 words.
All abstracts must be submitted and presented in English.
Authors and contributors are encouraged to have their texts proofread by external reviewers.
The submission will be confirmed by an automatic e-mail notification.
All submitted abstracts are subjected to a peer-review process. After the evaluation, corresponding authors will receive feedback by mid-June 2026.
The Scientific Committee may change the requested presentation type from oral to poster or from poster to an oral presentation following consultation with and approval by the authors.
Along with your abstract, you are required to submit a CV, and a short motivation letter.
All abstracts must be submitted at the latest on 19 May 2026.
The Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp, Belgium, strives for the advancement of science and health for all, through innovative research, advanced education, professional medical services and capacity sharing with partner institutions in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The Institute initiates collaborations and functions as a mediator between research and policy makers.
By organising the ITM Colloquium, they unite leading researchers, health professionals and policymakers from around the world to discuss the most pressing questions in tropical medicine and international health. The ITM Colloquium functions as a forum to share scientific progress and discuss collaborations.
The Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is a national public health research institution operating under the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia. AHRI is dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and translating evidence into improved health outcomes.
The Institute conducts multidisciplinary research on communicable and non-communicable diseases, vaccines and diagnostics, traditional and modern medicine, and pharmaceutical development, with particular emphasis on emerging and re-emerging health threats.
AHRI maintains strong collaborations with national and international academic institutions, research organisations, and public health partners. It also hosts scientific conferences, regional meetings, and international training programmes that promote collaboration and knowledge exchange.
AHRI is honoured to co-host the 66th ITM Colloquium, in partnership with ITM.
