Over the past 2 decades, antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacterial infections have emerged as one of the most important contributors to global morbidity and mortality. Despite major investments in the discovery of new generations of traditional small-molecule antibiotics, the pace of traditional antibiotic discovery has fallen behind that of the evolution of AMR pathogens. Bacteriophages have recently reemerged as an effective adjunct to small-molecule antibiotics for the treatment of AMR bacterial infections. Although a century of experience in Eastern European countries has provided anecdotal support for bacteriophage therapy, the efficacy of bacteriophage therapeutics has yet to be established through traditional translational and clinical investigation.
In an analogous period in HIV therapeutic research, the renowned virologist Bernard Fields noted in a call to action, “It is time to return to the basics.” In response, the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) was introduced as a catalyst that brought together the full breadth of the scientific community to develop a research agenda that led to major reductions in HIV-related morbidity and mortality. There is no similar scientific conference hosted in North America that combines an exploration of biology, physiologic dynamics, and the therapeutic potential of bacteriophages.
The Conference on Bacteriophages: Biology, Dynamics, and Therapeutics fulfills this need, bringing together fundamental studies on all aspects of phage biology with critical exploration of their clinical applications. Academic and other investigators driving these fields will meet for a 2.5-day conference of up to 500 domestic and international researchers, and includes state-of-the-art invited talks, symposia, and workshops, as well as abstract-driven presentations focused on recent scientific advances.