Event Day Summary
Our 2026 program opened with a warm welcome from Convenor Dr Kanthi Vemuri, Infectious Diseases Physician and Transplant ID Physician at The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane. With more than 100 attendees joining both in person and online, the day set off with strong engagement and enthusiasm.
Session 1 — Viral Infections and Organ Transplantation
Chair: Dr Samantha Ng, Consultant Nephrologist, Metro South Kidney and Transplant Services & Queensland Kidney Transplant Service
The first session explored viral challenges in transplantation, beginning with Dr Sophie Wen, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician at Queensland Children’s Hospital, who presented on RSV prevention in transplant recipients.
This was followed by a paediatric case presentation from Dr Benjamin Dickson, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Fellow at Queensland Children’s Hospital.
Professor Cameron Wolfe, Professor of Medicine in the Transplant ID section at Duke University and Visiting Academic at the University of Queensland, delivered an insightful talk on organ transplantation from donors with blood‑borne viruses.
Joining online from Cairns, Dr Daniel Zhang, advanced trainee in infectious diseases and microbiology, presented complex adult CMV cases.
The session concluded with Dr Matthew Tunbridge, Nephrologist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, who discussed vaccines in kidney transplant recipients, highlighting emerging immunomodulatory strategies.
Session 2 — Microbiome and Antimicrobial Resistance
Chair: Dr Bianca Graves, Infectious Diseases Physician & Clinical Microbiologist, RBWH and Pathology Queensland
After morning tea, the focus shifted to the microbiome and antimicrobial resistance.
A/Prof Patrick Harris, Staff Specialist in Microbiology at Pathology Queensland and In
fectious Diseases Physician at RBWH, presented on difficult‑to‑treat infections, offering clinical and research‑driven perspectives.
A/Prof Hannah Wardill, NHMRC Investigator Fellow and Head of the Supportive Oncology Research Program at Adelaide University and SAHMRI, explored gut microbiota dynamics in HSCT, their relationship to complications, and the rationale for microbiota‑directed interventions.
A/Prof Andrea Henden, Clinical Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician at RBWH, discussed faecal microbiota transplant for graft‑versus‑host disease, highlighting evolving therapeutic applications.
Session 3 — Difficult to Treat Infections & Multi‑Resistant Organisms
Chair: Dr Kanthi Vemuri
Following lunch, the program continued with updates on emerging therapies and resistant pathogens.
Dr William Franks, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist with extensive AMS experience, provided an update on new and available antibiotics.
Dr Holly Sinclair, Infectious Diseases Specialist and Clinical Microbiologist at Westmead Hospital, presented an update on phage therapy, outlining current evidence and future directions.
Two case‑based presentations followed:
A/Prof Adam Irwin, Principal Research Fellow in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at UQ and Queensland Children’s Hospital, shared a paediatric phage‑based case.
Dr Andrew Burke, Director of Infectious Diseases at The Prince Charles Hospital, presented an adult phage‑based case, illustrating real‑world application of phage therapeutics.
Session 4 — Emerging Diagnostic Tests
Chair: Dr Lana Sundac, Clinical Microbiologist & Infectious Diseases Physician, Princess Alexandra Hospital
The final session of the day highlighted innovations in diagnostics.
Dr Mariana Pitombeira Liborio, PhD candidate at UQCCR, presented on rapid diagnostic tests for bloodstream infections, showcasing advances in speed and accuracy. 
Dr Beatrice Sim, Infectious Diseases Physician, discussed CMV transcriptomics, offering insights into molecular diagnostics and their clinical implications.
The session concluded with A/Prof Amanda Gwee, presenting online from Melbourne, who delivered an engaging ID Magic segment. A/Prof Gwee leads the Antimicrobials Group at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and is Clinical Lead of Research at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne.
Closing Discussion
The day concluded with a thought‑provoking panel discussion chaired by Dr Andrew Burke, exploring “Investing in Expertise: The Case for Transplant ID Fellowships.” The conversation highlighted the growing need for specialised training pathways to support the future of transplant infectious diseases.
If you would like to catch up on presentations, they can be viewed on our website or YouTube channel.
Thank you to the organising committee:
Dr Kanthi Vemuri, Dr Lana Sundac, Associate Professor Julia Clark, Dr Andrew Burke, Dr Beatrice Sim, Associate Professor Andrea Henden, and Dr Samantha Ng, Professor Jason Roberts
Thank you to our sponsors
