ISGlobal’s 12th PhD Symposium Addresses The Challenges of Climate Change and Emerging Diseases
The annual event brought together PhD students for a day of academic exchange, presentations and networking
The programme focused on the resilience of health systems and preparedness for future threats
The 12th ISGlobal PhD Symposium took place on October 5th at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona, bringing together PhD students and researchers for a day of scientific exchange, discussion and networking. Under the theme “Climate change, Emerging Diseases and Health System Resilience,” the symposium explored major challenges shaping global health while providing a space for early-career researchers to present their work and connect with colleagues across the institute.
The day opened with a welcome from the PhD Symposium Committee, followed by opening remarks from Quique Bassat, General and Scientific Director of ISGlobal. He highlighted the importance of supporting both PhD students and their supervisors. “One of the lessons we have learned is that supervisors, me included, may need to refresh our training to be good enough,” he said, referring to the training sessions ISGlobal has established for supervisors and trainees.
From data to action: lessons from COVID-19
The symposium’s keynote lecture, “From data to action: from the SARS-CoV-2 experience in Catalonia to today,” was delivered by Dr. Jacobo Mendioroz, Deputy Director General of Surveillance and Response to Public Health Emergencies at the Public Health Agency of Catalonia. He reflected on how the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped the policies, surveillance systems and resources now in place to respond to emerging health threats.
Mendioroz reviewed some of the measures developed during the pandemic, including the use of epidemiological data and contact tracing, as well as the automation of processes and the development of the Catalan Infections Surveillance System and Sentinel Network. These experiences have contributed to new approaches aimed at detecting and responding to infectious disease threats more rapidly.
He also highlighted the challenges posed by globalisation and migration, which can accelerate the spread of infectious diseases across borders, citing West Nile virus as one example. Looking ahead, he emphasised the importance of using the lessons and resources developed during COVID-19 to anticipate and respond to future threats. Among the challenges facing public health surveillance, he pointed to the growing role of modelling data and infodemics.
(2) Symposium attendees during the presentations.
(3) Dr Jacobo Mendioroz during the keynote speech.
Sharing research and building a PhD community
Throughout the day, PhD students presented their ongoing research in a series of oral and group presentations, with contributions both in person and online. The programme also included a presentation on “PR3 in action: Preparedness Hub Contributions to Climate & Health System Resilience,” delivered by Elizabet Diago, Coordinator of the Preparedness Hub (PR3) at ISGlobal, as well as a dedicated networking activity.
The symposium concluded with closing remarks from Núria Casamitjana, Director of Education and Training at ISGlobal, and the PhD Symposium Committee, followed by a social event.
The 12th PhD Symposium highlighted the value of creating spaces where early-career researchers can share their work, exchange ideas and build connections across disciplines. In the face of environmental change and emerging health threats, these interactions can help strengthen the knowledge and collaborations needed to build more resilient health systems.
