Nuraan Fakier, Project Officer, based at the Africa Office, represented the EDCTP Association at the VALIDATE Network Annual Meeting 2025, which took place in Somerset West, Cape Town, South Africa, from 29 September to 1 October 2025.

The event opened on 29 September with an Early Career Researcher Workshop that welcomed 60 participants for professional skills training tailored to vaccine researchers. The following two days featured keynote lectures from Professor Ntobeko Ntusi (South African Medical Research Council) and Dr Veronica Schmitz Pereira (Fiocruz, Brazil). Members presented research on VALIDATE’s target pathogens. VALIDATE focuses on three pathogen groups that cause diseases that have significant impact on low and middle-income countries: Mycobacterium (causing TB, leprosy, and other diseases), leishmanias (leishmaniasis), and Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis). Additional activities included a research poster session, as well as opportunities to connect with other members during the networking session. Site visits on 2 October included two of South Africa’s leading vaccine research organisations, namely Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI).

The VALIDATE Network aims to accelerate vaccine R&D by creating an engaged and interactive community of researchers. Members participate in  this active global research community, which makes available resources and training opportunities. The annual meeting showcases cutting edge science from Fellows funded by the VALIDATE Network.

For more information, contact VALIDATE at https://www.validate-network.org/