Project Summary/Abstract: Pertussis or whooping cough was once considered a disease of
the past but it is now one of the least controlled vaccine preventable diseases. Pertussis is
primarily caused by the Gram negative pathogen, Bordetella pertussis, but several other
Bordetellae cause similar diseases in humans as well as animals. The reemergence of
pertussis correlates with the transition to the acellular pertussis vaccines (DTaP and Tdap) in
the early 1990s. Since the 1960's the Bordetella research community has organized
international meetings which provide an opportunity for trainees, physicians, scientists,
epidemiologists, public health officials, and vaccine manufacturers to assemble and focus on
the problems together to move forward. The International Symposium occurs on a three-four
year cycle. The International Bordetella Symposium has served to build collaborations,
exchange ideas, establish priorities, and facilitate training opportunities for the next generation
of scientists. At the 11th symposium there were 50 oral presentations and 110 posters
presented by 196 attendees from 20 total countries. The 12th Symposium will be held at
Brussels University and will be hosted by Prof. Françoise Mascart and Dr. Camille Locht. The
organizing committee made up of 11 internationally known scientists who will directly participate
in the planning and administration of meeting. It is expected the 12th symposium will host 300
participants. The meeting agenda includes: Bordetella biology, genomics, evolution,
epidemiology, pathogenesis and virulence factors, animal models of disease and transmission,
immune responses to infection and immunization, vaccine design, as well as other important
topics. While there are numerous meetings that discuss bacterial pathogens, this is the only
symposium that exclusively focuses on Bordetella. In order to support development of the next
generation of scientists, this R13 application is requesting funds to support travel awards for
junior scientists (pre- and post-doctoral) to attend and present innovative research at the
12th International Bordetella Symposium in April 2019.