10 November 2025 Articles

What we learned at the ITM Colloquium 2025

From data to dialogue

Over three days of inspiring talks, bold ideas, and candid discussion, this year’s ITM Colloquium reminded us that science does not advance in isolation, it thrives where innovation meets collaboration.

ITM Executive Director Özge Tunçalp opened the colloquium with a clear message: global health security depends on strong partnerships. Public health scientist Jean-Paul Dossou added that innovation must reach beyond the lab and into real-world practice, setting the tone for the coming days.

Imagination as a driver of innovation

Participants showed how scientific curiosity and cross-disciplinary thinking can spark real-world change. Advances in tackling diseases such as Ebola remind us that sustained research, partnership, and innovation can redefine the boundaries of what health systems can achieve.

Surveillance as a cornerstone of preparedness

We learned how disease surveillance, when enriched by molecular and spatial data, can reveal new layers of understanding about outbreaks. Yet, the challenge remains to translate these insights into clinical action and prevention. Neglect, as Prof. Steve Ahuka Mundeke warned, risks allowing old diseases to re-emerge, a lesson echoed by the recent resurgence of Mpox in the DRC.

Omics, AI, and the power–responsibility paradox

Omics generate vast data; AI helps us make sense of it. Together, they unlock unprecedented insights into drug resistance and immune diversity. But with great power comes the need for equity, accessibility, and the ethical handling of shared data.

Innovation for impact

From finger-prick diagnostics to advanced imaging tools, the colloquium’s showcase session highlighted how practical innovation can thrive, especially when affordability and access are built in. The lively Health Technology Showcase featured tangible solutions, from myAFYA’s HPV self-sampling device to AI-powered X-rays in Nigeria and low-cost blood collection tools. “Innovation,” said session chair Faridath Massou, “is about finding solutions that are adapted to our context and that work for us.”

The human element

Behind every dataset lies behavior, culture, and community. From self-care approaches in HIV prevention to community-led waste management, behavior change remains at the heart of public health progress.

A shared call to action

The Colloquium closed by honoring Young Researcher Award winners Sheila Issufo and Emilie Goossens, and by celebrating the vibrant exchange of ideas that defined the event. The message was clear: collaboration across disciplines and borders is key. Turning knowledge into better health for all will take not only science, but solidarity.

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