Three leading global health universities jointly held an interdisciplinary symposium, Advanced Infectious Disease Modelling Workshop, at Duke Kunshan University from May 26 to 28, 2025, uniting leading researchers and public health experts for in-depth discussions on the latest advancements in the field.
This workshop provided a venue for knowledge sharing and idea exchange among infectious disease modellers. Themes discussed included: (1) key technical challenges; (2) strategies for generating real-world impact (e.g. publishing, stakeholder engagement, work culture); (3) creative use of data and modelling techniques; (4) infectious disease modelling in an interdisciplinary context; (5) future research priorities; and (6) cultivating a sustainable community for modellers through a potential Community of Practice (CoP).
Public health experts presenting at the workshop included those from New York University, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Duke Kunshan University, Japan’s National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Singapore’s Communicable Disease Agency, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Peking University, the University of Hong Kong, Chongqing Medical University, Fudan University (and Huashan Hospital), and Nanjing Medical University.
This gathering represented a valuable opportunity for researchers to share insights, explore emerging trends, and shape the future of infectious disease modelling in the region and beyond.