Keynote presentation 6: Convergence of human efforts to tackle the dangers of microbials divergence
Tracks
Track 6
Track 7
Track 8
| Wednesday, July 15, 2026 |
| 4:45 PM - 5:30 PM |
Overview
Dr Nilima A Kshirsagar
Details
The convergence of human efforts—scientific, technological, and collaborative—is essential to confront the rapid divergence, evolution, and diversification of microbes that threaten global health and food security. As microbes evolve rapidly, often developing resistance or new functions through horizontal gene transfer and adaptation to environmental changes, humankind should be responding with integrated, interdisciplinary strategies to develop, test and use new tools, medicines, vaccines, and devices. Past lessons learnt tell us that maximizing such efforts are essential to tackle problems of resource limitations, of environment and climate change, and global geopolitical instability. This keynote address will delve into past stories, successes and failures and suggest how convergence in various aspects of science and healthcare can be harnessed to tackle current and future microbial threats. An example of successful convergence is rapid technological, regulatory, policy and public support that led to development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. Despite the WHO landmark publication on pharmacovigilance in public health 20 years ago, lack of vertical and horizontal collaboration in the healthcare system, or interdisciplinary exchange of ideas, has resulted in delays and pharmacovigilance disasters. Global collaborations for medicines development such as by WHO, TDR, MMV, DNDI are highly commendable efforts. However, development is hampered by lack of local investment in clinical trial centres in counties with the highest burden of diseases. International professional organizations like IUPHAR and its global health division can play a key role in promoting and facilitating much-needed convergence to face future challenges.
Speaker
Dr Nilima Kshirsagar
National Chair in Clinical Pharmacology
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi
Convergence of human efforts to tackle the dangers of microbials divergence
Biography
Dr. Nilima Kshirsagar clinical pharmacologist and medical educator with prestigious national and international awards, MD,PhD, DNB, degree, FAMS,FNAMS, FRCP (UK) , FACCP (USA) GFMD, IFAPP, leadership positions such as National Chair Clinical Pharmacology of Indian Council of medical research, Chairperson of the subcommittee for fixed dose combinations of Drug Technical Advisory Board Govt of India Vice Chancellor at Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Director medical education Dean , has contributed significantly to drug safety, clinical trials, and health policy. With over 300 publications in journals like Lancet and PLoS her work includes development, patenting, assessment of safety, efficacy of drugs specially for infectious, tropical diseases and promoting rational medicine use. As a leader in global health, she founded the South Asian College of American College of Clinical Pharmacology and served on international committees of WHO, DNDI, IUPHAR . Her diverse contributions span academia, industry, government, and NGOs.
