The MSF Scientific Days International conference is a platform for researchers, innovators, and advocates in humanitarian global health to come together to discuss and challenge research from within the sector.
Upcoming event
MSF Scientific Days 2024
A Conference Without Borders | 16 May 2024
We are thrilled to announce that the MSF Scientific Days conference will be held in London, on 16 May 2024.
Registration for in-person and online participation will open soon, so keep an eye out for further announcements.
This year we will showcase groundbreaking research on various critical topics in global health. Here are some highlights:
Tuberculosis: MSF researchers will present a cost analysis of the TB-PRACTECAL study, a multicentre trial in phase 2/3 which is focused on drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Additionally, the conference will feature the results of the end-TB clinical trial, which investigated five new oral shortened treatments for multi-drug resistant TB.
Vaccination: Another notable research explores the safety of the hepatitis E vaccine in pregnancy. Hepatitis E is a significant cause of high mortality and foetal loss among pregnant women in South Sudan. Although a vaccine exists, there were concerns about whether vaccination might increase the risk of foetal loss when administered to pregnant women. This study compared the foetal loss rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated women to assess the potential risk.
Cholera: Cholera is a deadly but treatable disease affecting millions worldwide. Cholera outbreaks are common where there is overcrowding and inadequate access to clean water, rubbish collection and proper toilets. The research being presented explores ‘Case-area targeted interventions’ based on the premise that early detection can trigger a rapid, localised response in the high-risk radius around affected households to reduce transmission of the disease.
Thursday 16 May
9:30 | Welcome and Introduction: Natalie Roberts MSF
9:45 | Session 1: From trials to tools: solutions for humanitarian health
Antibiogo as an innovative solution to detect antimicrobial resistance: from an operational need to a CE-marked diagnostic test available for low-income and middle-income countries
Nada Malou, MSF
Malaria Anticipation Project: development of a predictive malaria early warning system for anticipatory action in Jonglei State, South Sudan
Tom Wardley, Kim West, MSF
Application of the Médecins Sans Frontières clinical trial transparency policy: cost analysis of TB-PRACTECAL, a multicentre phase 2–3 trial in drug-resistant tuberculosis
Dzintars Gotham, MSF
Once-weekly fosravuconazole versus daily itraconazole, with surgery, in eumycetoma patients in Sudan: a randomised, double-blind, phase 2, proof-of-concept superiority trial
Ahmed Fahal, Mycetoma Research Center
Q&A/discussion
11:10 | Break
11:40 | Session 2: Targeting treatment: right people, right drugs, right dose
Prognostic models predicting clinical outcomes in patients diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis: a systematic review
James Wilson, University of Oxford
Evaluation of an IS2404 LAMP protocol, a simple and rapid test for diagnosis of Buruli ulcer in low-resource settings
Astrid Erber, Medical University of Vienna
Improving treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: results of the endTB randomised clinical trial
Lorenzo Guglielmetti, MSF
Q&A/discussion
13:00 | Lunch
14:00 | Keynote speech: Famine: what's in a name?
Alex de Waal, Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation, Tufts University
14:35 | Session 3: Mortality estimates – more than just counting deaths?
Chair: Leslie Robert, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
Morbidity patterns and factors associated with mortality in the Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre in Abs General Hospital, Yemen: an unmatched case-control study
Su Lan Yang, MSF
Crisis in Gaza: Scenario-based Health Impact Projections
Zeina Jamaluddine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Panel discussion
15:45 | Break
16:15 | Session 4: Advancements in outbreak response: protecting pregnancy, people, populations
Case-area targeted interventions to rapidly contain the spread of cholera: a prospective observational study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flavio Finger, Epicentre, MSF
A novel personal protective equipment for filovirus outbreaks: a usability study under simulated field conditions
Claire Dorion, MSF
Safety of hepatitis E vaccine in pregnancy: emulating a target trial following a mass reactive vaccination campaign in South Sudan
Etienne Gignoux, Epicentre, MSF
Q&A/discussion
17:20 | Closing Remarks: Natalie Roberts MSF
MSF Scientific Days provides a unique platform for researchers, healthcare professionals, and global health experts to share their findings, exchange ideas, and collaborate on innovative solutions to the world's most pressing health challenges.
Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation and contribute to advancing medical humanitarian action. Stay tuned for more information on registration and the full conference program.
Join us in London or online on 16 May 2024
Abstracts submission is now closed for MSF Scientific Days 2024
For any questions, please contact scientificday@london.msf.org.
Highlights from our 2023 event
Our 2023 event showcased research conducted by MSF, its partners and beyond, and featured four sessions on topics ranging from tuberculosis and operational strategies to reproductive health and outbreaks. Some of the emerging themes were:
- The importance of meaningful patient engagement to achieve more appropriate research and interventions. Sohana Saddique presented on a successful collaboration between MSF and two factories in Bangladesh to improve workplace safety. Here, active participation from the factory owners and workers helped in co-creating effective interventions and infrastructure changes that could be sustained in the absence of MSF.
- The scope of humanitarian health action was questioned, particularly the extent of MSF’s responsibilities in situations that require longer term presence. In addition to this, Sakib Burza urged us to look beyond the immediate impacts of humanitarian health action, presenting an example of the environmental benefits that can be achieved by providing support to communities in ecologically critical areas in Borneo. Average deforestation rates were significantly lower in villages provided with healthcare and livelihoods support, illustrating that the resilience of these communities is tied to the environment.
- The urgency to move beyond solely lifesaving activities was highlighted as our focus begins to expand to include measures of quality of life and patient-reported outcomes. This attitude shift was discussed during Beverley Stringer’s presentation on patient experiences from the TB-PRACTECAL clinical trial and emphasised in Matthew Coldiron’s presentation on the need for aftercare in light of the long-term effects of a meningitis epidemic that occurred in Niger in 2022.
Finally, two noteworthy studies from our partners were presented which we want to highlight:
Epicentre’s Estelle Pasquier on the high severity of abortion complications in fragile and conflict-affected settings, and DNDi’s Alexandra Solomos on a shorter, safer treatment for visceral leishmaniasis.
MSF Scientific Days International 2023
Missed our event on 7 June? You can find all of our content on the MSF Science Portal
If you missed previous events you can catch up here:
MSF Asia Scientific Day 2022
MSF Scientific Day International 2022
MSF Scientific Day Southern Africa – Zimbabwe
Visit the MSF Science Portal to watch all content from previous years