State-of-the-art Mpox Symposium

From 3 to 5 December 2025, the State-of-the-art Mpox Symposium 2025 took place in Kinshasa (DRC). This international symposium brought together more than 150 researchers and stakeholders from around the world to address current and future challenges in mpox research and policy. With the support of Flanders State of the Art, the team at the Global Health Institute at the University Antwerp was able to realize a scientifically robust and logistically strong event spanning 2.5 intensive and insightful days.

The symposium offered an extensive and carefully curated programme comprising approximately ten sessions, including presentations, keynote lectures, debates and Q&A sessions, as well as multiple networking opportunities. The first day focused, among other topics, on the history of mpox, the current epidemiological situation, global health priorities, vaccines, diagnostics and clinical epidemiology, and concluded with a poster session and networking dinner. Day two centred on cross-border monitoring, active and passive surveillance and the One Health approach, outbreak prediction and control, and community protection and resilience addressing public health strategy, equity, and social and behavioural sciences. On the third day, emphasis was placed on strengthening research capacities during response situations and on the introduction of a next phase in bringing together mpox research: the concept of an “umbrella website” as a shared knowledge platform to connect stakeholders and promote sustainable, inter-institutional collaboration.

The choice of Kinshasa, DRC, was deliberate and scientifically motivated. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the most critical countries in mpox research and response, and hosting the symposium there enabled the active participation of many local and regional researchers. This not only enriched scientific exchange but also strengthened equitable collaboration between international and local partners. The symposium was organised by a consortium of institutions, with the University of Antwerp in a coordinating role, locally supported by the University of Kinshasa, and in close collaboration with INRB (Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale) and the Catholic University of Bukavu. In addition, Africa CDC, INSP (Institut National de Santé Publique) and the WHO African Region contributed to the realisation of the symposium.

Within just a few months, the event was successfully organised from start to finish: from mobilising the organising committee and developing the programme, to creating the symposium website, visual identity and communication plan; managing all logistical and financial aspects, including international travel support and visa invitation letters; supporting keynote speakers in the development of their sessions; and managing a livestream of the event. After the symposium, the organisers continued to focus on sustainable impact through feedback collection, follow-up communication, and the launch of a LinkedIn channel to keep the community connected in the lead-up to future activities.

The symposium was received very positively. Bringing together researchers of 24 nationalities, affiliated with approximately 40 different institutions and involved in 25 research projects (including several EDCTP3 projects), in a single setting created a fertile environment for knowledge exchange and future collaboration. The strong interest from researchers who were unable to attend further underscored the relevance of the initiative and the support for a second edition. Preparations for a follow-up symposium have already begun, with Uganda being considered as a potential future host country. The State-of-the-art Mpox Symposium 2025 thus demonstrated not only the scientific importance of this initiative, but also the added value of a strong and carefully coordinated approach, made possible through the support of Flanders State of the Art.