Travel Bursaries Microbiology Society Focused Meeting 2023

Dr Anne Amulele 
Postdoctoral Researcher, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme 
Kenya 

'I was able to interact with other scientists and form connections that could be potential future collaborations.  It was a wonderful experience, and I enjoyed the presentations.'

Dr Melissa Chowdhury 
Clinical Research Fellow, Makerere University – Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, Kampala 
Uganda

'The most positive aspect was meeting so many people who were committed to addressing vaccine preventable diseases, to the development of novel vaccines and to address antimicrobial resistance, it was truly inspiring.'

Miss Dorothy Cyril-Okoh 
Research Associate and Sequencing Scientist, University of Ibadan 
Nigeria

'I think very intriguing and insightful are the best words to explain my experience at the BactiVac 2023 meeting. I’m so inspired that I want to attend this meeting every year and start sharing the data I will be getting from the rural community in Africa.'

Mrs Helena Dela 
Principal Research Assistant, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research 
Ghana

'It was an insightful meeting that was worth attending. The knowledge and networking derived from the meeting will help fine tune future studies I am planning to embark on.'

Professor Mohamed Elhadidy 
Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology 
Egypt

'Attending this meeting provided me with transdisciplinary insights to
Explore novel approaches and strategies to advance vaccines to Combat this global crisis of AMR.'

Dr Ikrama Hassan 
Chief Medical Director, Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (Nasarawa State Specialist Hospital) 
Nigeria

'The meeting was an eye opener for me on the current development in the vaccinology ecosystem.'

Dr William Horsnell 
Associate Professor, University of Cape Town 
South Africa 

'A fantastic interactive meeting that yielded genuine support for my research activities.'

Ms Juliet Masiga 
Senior Quality Assurance Officer, Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) 
Kenya

'The meeting was very enlightening. I was able to learn and see how technology has led to the improvement of vaccine research and production.'

Mr Tarisayi Matongo 
Scientist (Vaccine Development), Biovac 
South Africa

'Cutting edge knowledge on display and the consideration of applicability of technology on display towards LMICs. Interesting, stretched the mind academically and technically ; eye opening to field and community. Minimal and seamless administration  friendly staff/coordinators and over all enjoyable.'

Mr Ifeanyi Elibe Mba 
Research Fellow, University of Ibadan 
Nigeria

'This is my first time of attending an international conference. It was a wonderful and memorable experience which I will never forget. The networking, knowledge gained, and the experience was all I needed to advance my career.'

Dr Brian Mose 
Research Medical Officer, KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme 
Kenya

'The meeting was enlightening, it opened up my understanding of efforts against AMR beyond blood culture results, antibiotic susceptibility testing and traditional determinants of AMR.'

Mr Victor Mosha 
Laboratory Scientist, Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute 
Tanzania

'It was a great experience to get to know experts in the field of bacterial vaccines, learn and make connections. The platform was essential for my current work and it also showed me further opportunities to expand my scope.'

Dr Isaac Osei 
Clinical Trial Epidemiologist, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM 
The Gambia

'Attending this meeting enabled me to appreciate the level of scientific rigor required to advance the field of bacterial vaccines and how I need to position myself.'

Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor 
Professor, University of Ghana Medical School 
Ghana

'It was a good experience to listen to the talks and to be abreast with current research on various vaccines. The networking session was great, and it was done in an innovative way.'

Mr Amusa Wamawobe 
Post Graduate Student, Makerere University 
Uganda

'This meeting was vital for me given I’m working in Clinical Microbiology especially my work involving neonatal infectious disease. It has opened my mind on ongoing preventive and control initiatives by global researchers including vaccines targets for AMR bacteria.'

Dr Ibrahim Yusuf 
AMR Research Scientist/Senior Lecturer, Department of Microbiology, Bayero University Kano 
Nigeria

'The most positive aspect of the meeting is the opportunity to network and discuss collaboration with other colleagues.'

Dr Mohammad Mainul Ahasan 
Assistant General Manager, Incepta Vaccine Ltd. 
Bangladesh

'I found this meeting an excellent platform to become the part of a vibrant scientific community and learned the ways in which vaccines can slow the emergence of AMR by preventing infections and reducing the need for antibiotics.'

Dr Amjad Ali 
Associate Professor, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) 
Pakistan

'We had enough time for informal interactions with the speakers and participants. It was interesting that multiple colleagues were interested in the catalyst pump priming projects and ready to be partners in proposals.'

Associate Professor Mohammad Noor Amal Azmai 
Head / University lecturer / Researcher, Universiti Putra Malaysia 
Malaysia

 'I met various experts from all around the world who are working in vaccine development, for future collaboration.'

Dr Vaseeharan Baskaralingam 
Professor and Head, Alagappa University 
India

'This meeting enriched my knowledge for vaccine preparation and production using novel technologies.'

Dr Punnadath Preetham Elumalai 
Associate Professor (Biochemistry), Cochin University of Science & Technology 
India

'This meeting enabled me to acquire new knowledge to enlarge my research conceptions and extend the possibility of availing funding opportunities for future work in the research field of developing bacterial vaccines for aquaculture.'

Dr Sarmad Hanif 
Senior Research Scientist, Techinvention Lifecare Pvt. Ltd. 
India

'It was a brilliant experience. The scientific deliberations and discussions were highly meaningful. The well-organized event not only enhanced my knowledge but also connected me with the eminent scientists and researchers.'

Mrs Sanchita Kar 
Research Investigator, Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (ideSHi) 
Bangladesh

'The networking session was really a very innovative session. We can meet with people that work on same field as well as can expand our collaboration. The speaker session helpful for finding the new opportunities for higher studies on vaccine research field.'

Dr Zannat Kawser 
Assistant Scientist, Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (ideSHi) 
Bangladesh

'I had a wonderful experience from this meeting. By participating in this meeting, I learned a lot, met a number of scientists working on the same area as mine and for me, the speed dating session was very useful.'

Dr Sreeja Lakshmi 
Research Scientist, King Nandhivarman College of Arts and Science 
India

'This meeting with particular reference to vaccines to combat antimicrobial resistance, enabled me to be a part of a new network of research conceptions towards development of novel intervention of technology to defend against bacterial infections prevailing in aquaculture.'

Dr Sam Lyvannak 
Paediatrician, Angkor Hospital for Children 
Cambodia

'I was really impressed by various presentations from experts around the world and I just realized that there were a lot of bacterial vaccines developed and many more are under clinical trial.'

Associate Professor Md Sabri Mohd Yusoff 
Lecturer, Universiti Putra Malaysia 
Malaysia

'I was truly inspired when I listened to the presenters sharing the process and the positive outcome of their research.'

Professor Jayaseelan Murugaiyan 
Academic / Professor, SRM University AP 
India

'It was a wonderful experience to meet the speakers and fellow participants. I really enjoyed talking science during lecture sessions, net-working and poster session. After attending this meeting, I also got some extra ideas on my research direction.'

Dr Abinaya Muthukumar 
Researcher, Alagappa University 
India

'This meeting was a great platform and excellent opportunity to meet leading scientists in the field of vaccination against zoonotic bacterial diseases and encourage thinking to find new ways to improve what already exists.'

Dr Geetha Nagaraj 
Associate Professor, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bengaluru 
India

'Through this meeting it was essential for me to get along with other researchers and companies who are working towards making bacterial vaccines, understand their research interests and get updated information on bacterial vaccines and AMR.'

Dr Hoai Truong 
Lecturer, Head of Department, Head of Laboratory, Vietnam National University of Agriculture 
Vietnam

'A great experience with high-quality talks, I have gained a lot of knowledge and have collaborated with leading experts in the field of vaccines to support my future research.'

Dr Tintu Varghese 
Assistant Professor, Christian Medical College, Vellore 
India

'The meeting discussed various aspects of bacterial vaccines and AMR. New vaccine research was elaborated on by various researchers around the globe. It was an excellent platform to update on the vaccine research and to connect with fellow researchers.'

Mr Leandro Correa Simoes 
MSc in Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro 
Brazil

'It was an excellent experience of exchanging ideas with other researchers and undoubtedly enriching, from the point of view of having the opportunity to meet new people and places and also to spread my research to several people.'

Mr Adriano Palharini de Araújo 
Masters Student, Butantan Institute / University of São Paulo (USP) 
Brazil

'As it was my first trip outside my country and at an international scientific meeting, everything that happened during the two days of the meeting was unexpected, the trip certainly contributed a lot to my formation as a young researcher.'