Strength in Collaboration: A Global Meeting in Cape Town
The third International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) Global Partners Forum, held in Cape Town, South Africa, from October 27–29, 2025, brought together more than 270 scientists, policy-makers, funders, and public health experts from around the world. This gathering underscored a central truth in infectious disease surveillance: addressing global health threats requires coordinated action across borders, disciplines, and sectors. As nations confront evolving pathogens, the forum emphasized that collaboration is not optional but essential for timely detection, data sharing, and effective response.
Objectives: From Data to Decisions
The IPSN Global Partners Forum serves as a multidisciplinary platform for sharing surveillance data, best practices, and policy recommendations. In 2025, participants focused on strengthening surveillance networks, harmonizing methodologies, and ensuring data accessibility for researchers and decision-makers alike. Special sessions explored how real-time genomic data, standardized reporting, and interoperable databases can accelerate outbreak detection while protecting patient privacy and building public trust.
Key Themes: Sharing Knowledge, Fueling Action
1) Collaboration Across Sectors. The conference highlighted collaborations between academia, public health agencies, industry, and civil society. Partnerships with funders and international organizations were framed as accelerators for capacity-building, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where surveillance infrastructure may be limited. The message was clear: pooled resources and shared expertise reduce blind spots in global surveillance networks.
2) Data Sharing and Transparency. Recognizing that timely data can save lives, the forum discussed frameworks for secure, ethical data sharing. Attendees explored governance models that balance openness with privacy, enabling researchers to track pathogen evolution without compromising individual rights. Case studies demonstrated how open data dashboards, when managed responsibly, can inform public health responses and vaccine development strategies.
3) Genomic Surveillance as a Global Public Good. Genomic data emerged as a central pillar of modern pathogen surveillance. Speakers described how sequencing networks, standardized pathogen nomenclature, and interoperable pipelines enable rapid lineage tracking and variant detection, supporting targeted interventions and travel advisories when necessary.
Outcomes: A Roadmap for 2026 and Beyond
Participants agreed on a concrete roadmap to strengthen the IPSN ecosystem. Key action points include expanding regional hubs, investing in training and mentorship for young scientists, and building trust through community engagement. The forum also advanced commitments from funders to sustain long-term surveillance projects, ensuring that national and regional programs have predictable financing to maintain readiness between outbreaks.
Policy implications were a major focus. Delegates discussed aligning surveillance activities with national health priorities, ensuring that data informs both local responses and international guidance. This alignment is crucial for improving early warning systems, guiding vaccine strain selection, and strengthening laboratory capacities in underserved regions.
Impact on Public Health: Turning Insight into Intervention
Ultimately, the IPSN Global Partners Forum 2025 highlighted a simple but powerful idea: collaboration amplifies impact. When scientists, policy-makers, funders, and communities work together, surveillance becomes more than a map of occurrences—it becomes a proactive engine for safeguarding health. By sharing data, standardizing methods, and committing to transparent governance, the IPSN community moves closer to a world where pathogen threats are detected earlier and managed more effectively.
Looking Ahead
As the 2025 forum closes, the momentum continues. The IPSN network is poised to deploy expanded regional capabilities, deepen partnerships with international health bodies, and translate research insights into practical public health tools. For participants and stakeholders, the message is clear: sustained collaboration and predictable funding are essential to keep pace with the rapid evolution of pathogens and to protect populations worldwide.
