Brisbane is set to host the Lancefield International Symposium on Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases (LISSSD) in June 2025 at ASM Global managed Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), bringing together over 500 global experts.
The symposium aims to spotlight Queensland’s groundbreaking research, particularly in developing a vaccine for Strep A, responsible for over 500,000 global deaths annually.
Led by BCEC Advocate Professor Michael Good AO and Associate Professor Manisha Pandey, the successful bid was strongly supported by Australia’s scientific community and key partners, securing Brisbane as the global hub for this critical gathering.
The researchers have developed world-first candidate peptide-based vaccines for Strep A, currently in clinical trials, marking a significant milestone in combating the disease, which disproportionately affects Australia’s Indigenous population.
With a focus on prevention in Indigenous communities, the symposium aims to foster international collaboration for global solutions.
It will also launch an inaugural conference on Rheumatic Heart disease, rotating across Australia and beyond.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said: “Brisbane is a global research and immunology powerhouse, famous for pioneering world-firsts including the cancer vaccine Gardasil which is saving lives around the world. This conference is not only significant for our local economy, but an opportunity to drive lasting scientific and social change around the world.”