국제백신연구소 (IVI)

From IVI Headquarters in Seoul: Happy Chuseok to our colleagues and collaborators around the world celebrating the mid-autumn festival!

Today we wrapped our annual two-day All Projects Review, a chance for our scientists across disciplines to present their research and new results while fielding questions from their colleagues. From progress on pre-clinical studies of novel vaccines, vaccine candidates in varying stages of clinical development, new vaccine platform technologies, epidemiological studies, and even new training and capacity-building programs, the APR is always an opportunity to appreciate the breadth and impact of our multidisciplinary projects.

At #IVC2024 Kigali, we were happy to welcome nearly 100 participants diverse in background and expertise from countries across Africa, including Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. In addition to 17 IVI Vaccinology Fellows, EAC Regional Centre of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunization and Health Supply Chain Management provided 30 scholarships for trainees from the East African Community countries. Live from Kigali and broadcasted to IVC Seoul and Stockholm, Prof. Ellis Owusu-Dabo from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi delivered a lecture on observational studies in infectious disease epidemiology and vaccinology. Dr. Delese Mimi Darko from Food and Drugs Authority,Ghana discussed vaccine registration pathways and regulatory approvals. Africa CDC’s Dr. Abebe Genetu Bayih emphasized private partnerships and sustainable financing to achieve 60% vaccine manufacturing in Africa by 2040. Ranna Eardley-Patel, EngD FIChemE from CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) gave an insightful presentation on CEPI’s 100-day mission for pandemic vaccine delivery, stressing equitable access as key to global preparedness. Dr. T. Anh WARTEL, MD’s walk-through of a dengue case study sparked discussion around potential solutions to an enduring challenge, and Dr. Marie Michelle Umilisa and Dr. Joyce Kamanzi from University of Rwanda shared successful examples of community engagement in Rwanda, illustrating how the involvement of community health workers helped to handle Ebola vaccination campaigns and the COVID-19 pandemic. IVC Kigali included two site visits, providing participants a chance to explore the labs and facilities of Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) and Rwanda FDA.   We are so grateful to everyone who took part in the course, including our speakers, site coordinators, technical team, and of course, the participants for engaging with rigor and enthusiasm. From the ideas-sharing, group collaboration, and poster presentations, it was an inspiring week for all. Special thanks to our co-hosts University of Rwanda and Karolinska Institutet, and this year's course sponsors: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations), Moderna, Sanofi, Valneva, EuBiologics co.,Ltd, SK bioscience, and Hilleman Laboratories.

This year, we were delighted to award scholarships to 13 health professionals from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), National Vaccine Institute of Thailand, and the Department of Health (Philippines) to attend IVI's 23rd International Vaccinology Course in Seoul. These #IVC2024 scholarships were made possible by the generous contributions to IVI from the governments of India, Thailand, and the Philippines.   We are grateful to our state funders for supporting these training initiatives to build local knowledge and capacity across the vaccine development spectrum!

The International Vaccinology Course (#IVC2024) brought together over 200 participants from around the world across three sites: Seoul - Korea, Stockholm - Sweden and, for the first time, Kigali - Rwanda. In Sweden, Karolinska Institutet played a key role by co-organizing the course and hosting students and postdocs as part of the postgraduate courses. KI contributed with the cutting-edge lectures broadcast to all three sites, including the opening lecture on Basic Immunology by Marcus Buggert, a talk on Vaccine Hesitancy by Sibylle Herzig van Wees, as well as case studies on Digital Tools by Assoc Prof. El-Khatib and Dengue by Helena Hervius Askling. Additional speakers hosted in Stockholm included Rebecca Chandler from CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations), Ann Lindstrand from World Health Organization, Stéphanie Meyer from Valneva and Julia Barnes-Weise, from Global Healthcare Innovation Alliance Accelerator (GHIAA) . We also hosted a session on careers in vaccinology with representatives from The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen), Sida Karolinska Institutet, GSK and Läkare Utan Gränser. “I’m delighted that the vaccinology course with IVI has become an annual event at KI,” said Professor Anna Norrby-Teglund, head of KI’s Centre for Infection Medicine. “This initiative strengthens our global commitment to improving human health while allowing valuable experience-sharing with international experts.” As the program concludes, it's rewarding to see participants—fellows and university students—leaving with new insights, collaborations, and a clearer vision of their future in vaccinology.

#IVC2024 Kigali is our largest site this year, in part due to the generous support of the University of Rwanda/EAC Regional Centre of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunization and Health Supply Chain Management which provided scholarships to 30 participants from East African Community partner states to attend the 23rd International Vaccinology Course. Four lectures were broadcasted live from Kigali to Seoul and Stockholm with learnings across infectious disease epidemiology, the vaccine regulatory approval process, continental manufacturing, and more featuring faculty members from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana FDA, Africa CDC, and CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations). With additional panel discussions, group work, poster presentations, and a dedicated talk about navigating careers in the vaccine world, the Kigali site has been an active venue for critical dialogue and connection. IVI Deputy Director General T. Anh WARTEL, MD notes: "By bringing this course to Kigali, we are not only providing vital training but also supporting Rwanda’s efforts to become a hub for vaccine development in Africa. This is a testament to our commitment to strengthening vaccine education and manufacturing capabilities globally." https://lnkd.in/gUbdaGdp

We had the honor of hosting the Sveriges riksdag Committee on Health and Welfare at IVI Headquarters during their official trip to Korea. Thank you to Christian Carlsson, Chairman of the Committee, for leading insightful discussions, and to the Embassy of Sweden in Seoul for their support in facilitating this visit. We look forward to sustaining our longstanding collaboration with Sweden, home to IVI’s Europe Regional Office, as we work together to combat emerging infectious diseases and advance global health objectives.

Today at #IVC2024 Seoul, the participants worked together in groups to tackle two case studies. Read below for the assignments and drop your ideas/questions/considerations in the comments! 1) In light of a huge disease burden and growing need for an RSV vaccine, you and your team of researchers have been tasked with developing a clinical development plan for a novel RSV vaccine. Prepare the clinical development plan from initiation (including study population, study design, and site selection for each phase) to licensure. 2) Design a Phase III clinical trial for a typhoid vaccine in a resource-limited setting. Outline the clinical trial design, objectives, the country, necessary personnel, and other essential components that would meet WHO requirements for safety and quality. Address the challenges of conducting this trial in a resource-limited setting and how to mitigate them. #IVIVaccinology #VaccinetoVaccination

Scenes from the International Vaccinology Course's first ever triple-site edition. With live lectures and Q&A broadcasted from Seoul, Stockholm, and Kigali to location-specific expert talks and group projects, #IVC2024 is a truly global and interactive experience. We're halfway through the course now and hope all the participants continue to network and deepen their knowledge about vaccines and vaccination. Coming up: panel discussions, case studies, and more poster presentations!

A round of applause for this year's cohort of Vaccinology Fellows in Seoul 👏 Today, the 13 fellows presented posters of recent infectious disease and vaccine research in their home countries, ranging from making steps toward measles elimination in India, results from a Phase III trial for a dengue vaccine, addressing vaccine misinformation in Pakistan, real-world evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines in Malaysia, and more.