MedVet Pathogens 2027 will convene leading researchers across medical and veterinary microbiology to address the most pressing challenges in infectious disease through a One Health framework. Established in 2010 in Prato, Italy, the MedVet Pathogens conference series has built a strong reputation for fostering interdisciplinary exchange.

The 2027 meeting marks a strategic transition to new leadership and a new venue in St Andrews, providing an opportunity to reinvigorate the programme, broaden participation, and align the meeting with emerging priorities in global infectious disease research. The conference will bring together approximately 80 delegates in a deliberately focused format designed to maximise interaction, discussion, and collaboration. A central priority will be the meaningful inclusion of ECRs and PhD students, who will be integrated throughout the programme via selected talks, poster presentations, chairing opportunities and dedicated networking opportunities. The conference will showcase cutting-edge science on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), including global surveillance, evolutionary dynamics, and emerging resistance mechanisms in bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens of public health importance.

Particular emphasis will be placed on how genomics and other high-resolution ‘omics approaches are transforming our ability to detect, track, and mechanistically interrogate pathogens across clinical and agricultural systems. Sessions will highlight the integration of large-scale datasets with functional biology to identify actionable targets for diagnostics, therapeutics, and intervention strategies. A central theme of the programme will be host–pathogen interactions, featuring studies that dissect how pathogens exploit host cellular processes and how host immune responses shape infection outcomes. This will include work spanning in vitro systems, advanced in vivo models, and human-relevant platforms, alongside systems-level approaches that integrate host and pathogen datasets.

Recognising the complexity of AMR and infectious disease emergence, the meeting will also address ethical and societal dimensions, including antimicrobial stewardship in animal health, and the governance and equitable use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) data in a global health context. Overall, we aim to bring together academia, public health, and industry, to promote integration of human and veterinary microbiology to address shared challenges, including zoonotic transmission and AMR spread. We are excited to deliver a meeting that will provide a forward-looking platform for interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration to tackle current and emerging infectious threats.