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MORU was well represented at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) 2026 conference, held from 17-21 April in Munich.

Nick Day on stage giving the ESCMID Keynote

On 19 April, MORU Director Prof Nick Day delivered a keynote lecture, Rickettsioses: widespread and neglected, to a very large audience. In his one-hour lecture, Prof Day shared insights from three decades of research on the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of rickettsial diseases, including scrub typhus, murine typhus, and spotted fever rickettsioses in Southeast Asia and beyond.

In his keynote, Prof Day honoured Prof Sir Nick White, and he acknowledged the contributions of many MORU, OUCRU and LOMWRU colleagues, including Janjira Thaipadungpanit, Wirongrong Chierakul, Rattanaphone Phetsouvanh, Paul Newton, Stuart Blacksell, Sabine Dittrich, Yoel Lubell, Sophie Kang, Carlo Perrone, Elizabeth Batty, Qian Wang, and Rose McGready, as well as colleagues from other institutions, including George Varghese from CMC; and many others whose names are not listed here.

Prof Day received the ESCMID Excellence in Science Award, which shines a spotlight on extraordinary contributions to science.

- Text and photo: Stije Leopold.

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