The International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2026, held in Singapore and online earlier this month (1 to 3 July 2026), provided a high-profile platform for early-career researchers to showcase their latest work in the field of pandemic sciences.
Following a call for abstracts in January 2026, conference co-hosts PSI and PREPARE received more than 500 submissions from researchers across the globe. This set a new conference record and made selection very challenging.
100 delegates were subsequently invited to present posters at the three-day conference. 24 of these were invited to give flash talks – four-minute presentations given to a busy, ever-changing room of conference delegates. This was the first year that flash talks had formed part of the conference programme and early feedback from both presenters and delegates has been very positive.
Jane Itzhaki, Training and Career Development Lead at PSI, said: “We were delighted by the enthusiastic response to our call for abstracts. Our reviewers selected abstracts showcasing the breadth of research submitted, giving opportunities to early-career researchers in particular. Oral, poster and flash-talk presentations were very high quality and contributed greatly to the success of the conference.”
On day three, the conference came to an inspirational close, with an awards ceremony recognising the best oral and poster presentations across six conference topics: Ethics and context; Data, analytics and artificial intelligence; Vaccines and immunology; Diagnostics and treatment; Pathogen biology and emerging threats; and Policy and government. Winners were selected by the parallel session chairs for each topic, and presented with their prizes by Professor Sir Peter Horby, PSI Director, and Professor Linfa Wang, PREPARE Executive Director.
Adams Adeshola of the SHARPER Project, who is based at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, won best oral presentation for Ethics and context. He said: “To me, this award means far more than recognition for a presentation. It reaffirms my belief that ‘your background should never limit your future'.
“This award gives me even more confidence in the path I have chosen and inspires me to continue producing research that connects science with society. Above all, I hope it inspires other young people, especially those in the humanities, to believe that their voices matter and that they, too, belong on the global stage.”
Mesyalie Lorenza of the Summit Institute for Development, Indonesia, and winner of the best poster presentation for Vaccines and immunology said: "Being selected to present my research as a poster at the conference was already an incredible milestone. Winning the best poster presentation in the vaccines and immunology category made the experience even more meaningful.
“As a young researcher representing a local NGO from Eastern Indonesia, this award has strengthened my confidence and inspired me to continue pursuing my goal of becoming an expert in this field. This achievement also reminds me that impactful research can come from anywhere. With dedication, perseverance, and a passion for learning, everyone has the potential to contribute meaningfully to science."
Two early-career networking lunches held on days two and three of the conference featured an innovative ‘human library’ concept, providing delegates with access to senior experts who shared insights on how to work with industry, government, NGOs, and clinicians.
Would you be interested in attending the next International Pandemic Sciences Conference? Please follow PSI on LinkedIn and stay up-to-date with the latest news and announcements.