Vaccinology During and After COVID-19

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ABSTRACT Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference entitled Vaccinology During and After COVID-19, organized by Drs. Bali Pulendran, Robert Seder and Gagandeep Kang. The conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia from September 17-21, 2023. Since its emergence, SARS-CoV-2 has radically transformed practically every dimension of our lives and fueled an urgent global imperative to develop safe and effective vaccines. The stunning pace at which COVID- 19 vaccines have been developed is unprecedented in the history of vaccinology and has been catalyzed by the rapid harnessing of innovative new technologies (e.g., mRNA vaccines) and major public and private investments. The COVID-19 pandemic offered a unique vantage point from which to survey vaccinology as it was for the past two centuries, since Edward Jenner and the eradication of smallpox, to how it is now, during the time of COVID-19, and to consider what it could be in the post-COVID era. Equally important has been the world’s focus on the economics, politics and ethics of how to ensure global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. This virus has certainly shone a spotlight on the field of vaccinology as it is, at the focal point of immunology, microbiology, public health, clinical medicine, economics, sociology, ethics and international diplomacy. Thus, some talks will also be focused on these broader issues surrounding the field. It is anticipated that this conference will stimulate debate that helps enhance pandemic preparedness by redefining the way we conceive of, make, test, license and distribute vaccines globally. Overall, this conference is designed to bring together an interdisciplinary team of experts to discuss the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on the immunology of vaccination.