Objective

The Challenge in Infectious Diseases Seminars provide an opportunity to get cutting-edge information on both basic and clinical virology, prevention of viral diseases and new antivirals. It is our goal to offer a menu covering the most recent scientific advances and also an open atmosphere to discuss topics of interest. The meeting offers the Swiss infectious diseases community a unique opportunity for exchange with experts, for informal discussions and for strengthening the network between established and upcoming members. Attendance is by invitation only.

34th Challenge 2025
Scientific Committee Virology

Prof Roberto Speck, Zurich University Hospital (Chair)

Prof Laurent Kaiser, Geneva University Hospital 

Prof Daniel Kaufmann, CHUV Lausanne

Prof Oriol Manuel, CHUV Lausanne

Prof Klara Posfay Barbe, Geneva University Hospital 

Prof Andri Rauch, Inselspital Bern

Prof Silke Stertz, Zurich University Hospital 

 

Scientific Committee Bacteriology

Prof Christoph Berger, Zurich University Children's Hospital

Prof Silvio Brugger, Zurich University Hospital 

Prof Nina Khanna, Basel University Hospital

Prof Roberto Speck, Zurich University Hospital

PD Dr med Maria Christine Thurnheer, Inselspital Bern

Prof Annelies Zinkernagel, Zurich University Hospital 

 

2024

19.01.2024

33rd Challenge in Infectious Diseases

Engelberg, Kursaal

Registration closed, fully booked

179 participants

 

Linked Events

Programme, updated January 17, 2024

Speakers

 

Sereti I., Immune activation in people with HIV

Perreau M., The role of lymph node dendritic cells in HIV persistence

Brander Ch., Therapeutic HIV vaccination

Lecuit M., How Listeria outsmarts the host

Hardt W. D., Pathophysiology of Salmonella infections - Food, inflammasomes, persistence, resistance

Dawson L., Novel targets for development of therapeutics to combat

Clostridiodes difficile

Kanekiyo M., Structural Vaccinology for Influenza

Webby R. J., Recent spread and evolution of A(H5N1) influenza viruses

Ludwig St., Towards a novel host-targeted anti-infective strategy against COVID-19 and other acute respiratory viral diseases

Urwyler P., Difficult to swallow - easy to digest?

Weller D., Riddles in Rigidity - Neurological deterioration after HSCT

Schöbi N., Big holes in a tiny baby

Vingerhoets S., Confused by confusion

Vetter P., Brain-storm

Gagneux St, Epidemiology, Ecology and Evolution of Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis

Van Crevel R., Host-pathogen interaction and immunotherapy in mycobacterial infections

Diacon A., Novel drugs for MDR TB treatment

Consiglio C. Deciphering sex differences in human immunity using systems immunology

Ingersoll M., Investigating mucosal immunity in the bladder

Terrier O., Respiratory co-infections: when the whole is greater than the sum

Soldati-Favre D., Parasite manipulation of predator fear

Bogdan Ch., Immunopathogenesis and novel treatment approaches

of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Chappuis F., Visceral leishmaniasis: epidemiological and clinical aspects

Slides

 

Sereti I., Immune activation in people with HIV

Perreau M., The role of lymph node dendritic cells in HIV persistence

Brander Ch., Therapeutic HIV vaccination

Lecuit M., How Listeria outsmarts the host - slides not available

Hardt W. D., Pathophysiology of Salmonella infections - Food, inflammasomes, persistence, resistance

Dawson L., Novel targets for development of therapeutics to combat

Clostridiodes difficile

Kanekiyo M., Structural Vaccinology for Influenza

Webby R. J., Recent spread and evolution of A(H5N1) influenza viruses

Ludwig St., Towards a novel host-targeted anti-infective strategy against COVID-19 and other acute respiratory viral diseases

Urwyler P., Difficult to swallow - easy to digest?

Weller D., Riddles in Rigidity - Neurological deterioration after HSCT

Schöbi N., Big holes in a tiny baby

Vingerhoets S., Confused by confusion

Vetter P., Brain-storm

Gagneux St,, Epidemiology, Ecology and Evolution of Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis

Gagneux St., webcast replies to audience questions

Van Crevel R., Host-pathogen interaction and immunotherapy in mycobacterial infections

Diacon A., Novel drugs for MDR TB treatment

Consiglio C. Deciphering sex differences in human immunity using systems immunology - slides not available

Ingersoll M., Investigating mucosal immunity in the bladder

Terrier O., Respiratory co-infections: when the whole is greater than the sum - slides not available

Soldati-Favre D., Parasite manipulation of predator fear

Bogdan Ch., Immunopathogenesis and novel treatment approaches

of cutaneous leishmaniasis - slides not available

Chappuis F., Visceral leishmaniasis: epidemiological and clinical aspects

2023

09.06.2023 - 10.06.2023

32nd Challenge in Infectious Diseases

Engelberg, Kursaal

Registration closed

158 participants

Linked Events

Programme as of May 31, 2023

Speakers

 

Hensley S. E., Multivalent mRNA-based influenza vaccines

Miller M. S., Respiratory mucosal delivery of next-generation COVID-19 vaccines

Karron R. A., Progress in RSV vaccines

Stocker R., Combining single-cell imaging and artificial intelligence for Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing in 90 minutes

Kline K., Colonization, biofilm formation and virulence in Enterococcus faecalis

Henriques Normark B., Host-pathogen interaction in Streptococcus pneumoniae infections

Miro J. M., Novel therapies of endocarditis

Burgener A.-V., Septic shock with severe thrombocytopenia in a pregnant woman 

Ihle V., A case of disseminated nocardiosis after checkpoint inhibition

Colin-Benoit E., Febrile diarrhea

Desgranges F., A train can hide another - Season 2

Chedid M., A typical sinus fungal infection in non immunocompromised 

diabetic patient

Brakhage A., Fungal immune evasion and host-pathogen interactions - new concepts for therapy

Wheeler R., Candida-innate immune interactions

Verweij P., Drug resistance and tolerance in fungi

Khanna N., New antifungal therapies on the horizon

Maini M. K., New insights into immunopathogenesis of hepatitis B

Urban S., Hepatitis D virus in 2023: virology, pathogenesis and new treatment approaches

Sáez-Cirión A., Reprogramming dysfunctional CD8+ T-cells in HIV infection

Schmeltz Søgaard O., The role of bNAbs in HIV curative strategies

Debyser Z., Towards a Functional Cure of HIV-1: Insight Into the Chromatin Landscape of the Provirus

Berger Ch., Zinkernagel A., Invasive Group A Streptococcal infections, what's going on?

Slides

 

Hensley S. E., Multivalent mRNA-based influenza vaccines

Miller M. S., Respiratory mucosal delivery of next-generation COVID-19 vaccines

Karron R. A., Progress in RSV vaccines

Stocker R., Combining single-cell imaging and artificial intelligence for Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing in 90 minutes - slides not available

Kline K., Colonization, biofilm formation and virulence in Enterococcus faecalis

Henriques Normark B., Host-pathogen interaction in Streptococcus pneumoniae infections - slides not available

Miro J. M., Novel therapies of endocarditis

Burgener A.-V., Septic shock with severe thrombocytopenia in a pregnant woman

Ihle V., A case of disseminated nocardiosis after checkpoint inhibition

Colin-Benoit E., Febrile diarrhea

Desgranges F., A train can hide another - Season 2

Chedid M., A typical sinus fungal infection in non immunocompromised diabetic patient

Brakhage A., Fungal immune evasion and host-pathogen interactions - new concepts for therapy

Wheeler R., Candida-innate immune interactions

Verweij P., Drug resistance and tolerance in fungi

Khanna N., New antifungal therapies on the horizon

Maini M. K., New insights into immunopathogenesis of hepatitis B

Urban S., Hepatitis D virus in 2023: virology, pathogenesis and new treatment approaches

Sáez-Cirión A., Reprogramming dysfunctional CD8+ T-cells in HIV infection

Schmeltz Søgaard O., The role of bNAbs in HIV curative strategies

Debyser Z., Towards a Functional Cure of HIV-1: Insight Into the Chromatin Landscape of the Provirus

Berger Ch., Zinkernagel A., Invasive Group A Streptococcal infections, what's going on?

2021

22.01.-23.01.2021

31st Challenge in Infectious Diseases

Grindelwald, Sunstar Hotel

Linked Events

Cancelled due to COVID-19

2020

24.01.2020 - 25.01.2020

30th Challenge in Virology

Grindelwald, Sunstar Hotel

192 participants, incl 22 faculty

Linked Events

Programme as of January 23, 2020

By invitation only

Speakers

 

Andrew Chan; Neuroinflammation

Martin Beer; Fatal encephalitic borna disease virus 1 in solid-organ transplant recipients

Cédric Hirzel; Primer

Adolfo Garcia-Sastre; Universal influenza virus vaccines

Louis J. Bont; RSV immunization

Leonardo Visser; Yellow fever; vaccination; immunosuppressed patient

Genovefa Papanicolaou; How to treat CMV - New antiviral against CMV

Klara Posfay Barbe; Measles, varicella: vaccine benefit risk in immunocompromised patients

Clinical virology case presentations: Matthias von Rotz; Vanja Piezzi; Gaud Catho; Antonios Kritikos; Sara Burkhard; Pauline Vetter

Isabella Eckerle; The novel 2019 Coronavirus

Michael Huber; Primer

Ronald G. Collman; Metagenomic discovery of novel human viruses: The lung virome

Eddie Holmes; Evolution and emergence of infectious diseases, mechanisms by which RNA viruses jump species boundaries

Manuel Battegay, Jasmina Bogojeska; Primer

Alexandrea Calmy; ART: new challenges

Francis Barin; Role of neutralizing antibodies in mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1

Angela Ciuffi; HIV – single cell genomics

Christoph Fux; Primer

Beat Müllhaupt; Viral hepatitis B in the immunocompromised patient

Antonella Folgori; HCV vaccine developments: achievements and challenges

Silke Stertz; MHC class II proteins mediate cross-species entry of bat influenza viruses

Matthieu Perreau; Lymph node migratory dendritic cells modulate HIV-1 transcription through

PD-1 engagement

Caroline Tapparel; Modified Cyclodextrins as Broad-spectrum Antivirals

Santiago Gonzalez; Protection against influenza infection requires early recognition by

inflammatory dendritic cells

Ronald Dijkman; Characterization of emerging zoonotic viruses

 

Slides

 

Andrew Chan; Neuroinflammation

Martin Beer; Fatal encephalitic borna disease virus 1 in solid-organ transplant recipients

Cédric Hirzel; Primer

Adolfo Garcia-Sastre; Universal influenza virus vaccines

Louis J. Bont; RSV immunization

Leonardo Visser; Yellow fever; vaccination; immunosuppressed patient

Genovefa Papanicolaou; How to treat CMV - New antiviral against CMV

Klara Posfay Barbe; Measles, varicella: vaccine benefit risk in immunocompromised patients

Clinical virology case presentations: Matthias von RotzVanja PiezziGaud CathoAntonios KritikosSara Burkhard; Pauline Vetter - not available

Isabella Eckerle; The novel 2019 Coronavirus

Michael Huber; Primer

Ronald G. Collman; Metagenomic discovery of novel human viruses: The lung virome

Eddie Holmes; Evolution and emergence of infectious diseases, mechanisms by which RNA viruses jump species boundaries

Manuel Battegay, Jasmina Bogojeska; Primer - not available

Alexandrea Calmy; ART: new challenges

Francis Barin; Role of neutralizing antibodies in mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1

Angela Ciuffi; HIV – single cell genomics

Christoph Fux; Primer

Beat Müllhaupt; Viral hepatitis B in the immunocompromised patient

Antonella Folgori; HCV vaccine developments: achievements and challenges

Silke Stertz; MHC class II proteins mediate cross-species entry of bat influenza viruses

Matthieu Perreau; Lymph node migratory dendritic cells modulate HIV-1 transcription through PD-1 engagement

Caroline Tapparel; Modified Cyclodextrins as Broad-spectrum Antivirals

Santiago Gonzalez; Protection against influenza infection requires early recognition by inflammatory dendritic cells

Ronald Dijkman; Characterization of emerging zoonotic viruses

 

2019

11.01.2019 - 12.01.2019

29th Challenge in Virology

Grindelwald, Sunstar Hotel

198 participants, incl 33 faculty

Linked Events

Programme as of January 10, 2019

Speakers

Slides

2018

19.01.2018 - 20.01.2018

28th Challenge in Virology

Grindelwald

Sunstar Hotel

206 participants, incl 22 faculty

Linked Events

Programme as of January 17, 2018

Speakers

Slides

2015

23.01.2015 - 25.01.2015

25th Challenge in Virology

Saanen

Linked Events

By invitation only

2014

17.01.2014 - 19.01.2014

24th Challenge in Virology

Saanen

Linked Events

By invitation only

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