LISSSD 2025 The Chain We Must Not Break: Streptococcal Research in a Time of Discovery and Disruption (125611)
This closing perspective will reflect on the remarkable progress presented at this meeting—from novel insights into streptococcal pathogenesis and host immunity to translational advances in therapeutics, diagnostics, and vaccine development. These findings underscore the vitality of a research community that has, for over a century, contributed fundamentally to our understanding of infectious disease biology. As we celebrate this progress, we must also reckon with serious challenges facing the scientific enterprise in the United States: deep cuts to federal research funding, rising anti-science sentiment, and increasing uncertainty for early-career investigators. These pressures jeopardize not only U.S. leadership in biomedical research but also risk a ripple effect that may undermine international collaboration, disrupt the global biotechnology pipeline, and discourage the next generation of physician-scientists and microbiologists. This talk will serve as both reflection and rallying call—urging our community to protect and strengthen the chain of discovery through renewed investment, mentorship, and public engagement in defense of science.
