The recent COVID-19 pandemic has not only revealed insufficiencies of health system capacity dealing with acute public health emergencies of international concern, but recurring endemic threats that are further exacerbated by accelerated climate change. Since wastewater-based epidemiology is regarded as one of the most cost-effective tools for probing disease outbreaks, investigating epidemiological trends and providing data for actionable analytics and multi-omic epidemiology, its deployment in different resource settings would require greater sharing and deeper collaboration regionally and globally, with a view to reconciling and devising common and comparable standards and methodologies.
Technical Convening on Wastewater Surveillance
Philanthropy has a long history of building health system capacity and catalysing technological innovation. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and The Rockefeller Foundation are jointly presenting an initial series of two technical convening on wastewater surveillance in Hong Kong, China and Bangkok, Thailand to share and exchange state-of-the-science, practical experience of surveillance and monitoring of pathogens and for antimicrobial resistance (“AMR”).
Prominent speakers from different resource settings specializing in environmental microbiology, epidemiology and engineering have been invited to speak at these international and multi-disciplinary technical workshops. They will share first-hand experiences in developing and applying detection techniques for pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes.
Wastewater Surveillance Technical Convening 2023 is a by-invitation event.
Professor Dame Sally DAVIESMaster of Trinity College, University of CambridgeUK Special Envoy on Antimicrobial ResistanceFormer Chief Medical Officer, England and Wales l United Kingdom
Ms. Man Ling CHAUDeputy Director, Scientific Programme Management Department, Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency l Singapore
Dr. Petros CHIGWECHOKHAHead of Department of Biological Sciences, Malawi University of Science and Technology l Malawi
Dr. Samuel CHUIDirector, Environmental Protection Department l Hong Kong SAR
Dr. Fatma GUERFALIAssistant Professor, Institut Pasteur de Tunis l Tunisia
Dr. Rezaul HASANDeputy Project Coordinator, icddr,b l Bangladesh
Dr. Farah ISHTIAQScientist, Tata Institute for Genetics & Society l India
Dr. Tommy LAMAssociate Professor, The University of Hong Kong l Hong Kong SAR
Dr. Gabriel LEUNGExecutive Director, Charities & Community, The Hong Kong Jockey Club l Hong Kong SAR
Dr. Kathy LEUNGAssistant Professor, The University of Hong Kong l Hong Kong SAR
Dr. Sophie MAGNETSenior Technical Advisor, PATH l USA
Professor Leo POONProfessor, Chair of Public Health Virology & Division Head, Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, The University of Hong Kong l Hong Kong SAR
Dr. Samuel SCARPINODirector, AI + Life Sciences l USA
Dr. Kwanrawee Joy SIRIKANCHANASenior Research Scientist, Chulabhorn Research Institute l Thailand
Dr. Renée STREETDirector, Environmental Health Unit, South African Medical Research Council l South Africa
Dr. Edwin TSUIController, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health l Hong Kong SAR
Professor Tong ZHANGChair Professor of Environmental Engineering, The University of Hong Kong l Hong Kong SAR
Dr. Yang ZHOUPrincipal Investigator, Wastewater Surveillance Platform, National Centre for Infectious Disease l China
