Long COVID and other infection-associated chronic illnesses represent an urgent and growing public health challenge, affecting millions worldwide and placing substantial strain on health systems, workforces, and communities. Despite unprecedented scientific advances during the COVID-19 pandemic, fundamental gaps remain in understanding the biological mechanisms, clinical heterogeneity, and optimal strategies for prevention and treatment of long COVID. Similar gaps persist across other infection-associated illnesses, including post-viral fatigue syndromes, dysautonomia, and immune-mediated conditions, which historically have been siloed across disciplines.

This Keystone Symposia conference on Long COVID and Related Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses will integrate insights across pathogens, clinical manifestations, and methodological approaches. Key objectives include defining shared and divergent mechanistic drivers of infection-associated chronic illness, highlighting emerging biomarkers and therapeutic targets, identifying innovative study designs and analytical tools, promoting meaningful industry engagement, and improving understanding of scientific, regulatory, and operational barriers that limit progress across these conditions.

By convening basic and translational scientists, clinicians, epidemiologists, individuals with lived experience of these conditions, and industry stakeholders, this conference accelerates progress through new interdisciplinary collaborations, alignment on research priorities, and actionable recommendations to inform priorities for basic discovery and facilitate translation from the laboratory into clinical practice.

A central strength of this conference is its cross-disciplinary and cross-condition focus, deliberately bridging communities that historically have had limited opportunities to convene together. By situating long COVID within a broader framework of infection-associated illness, the conference advances comparative, mechanism-driven thinking and builds on growing momentum to move these fields forward.

Unique Career Development Opportunities

This meeting will feature a Career Roundtable where trainees and early-career investigators will have the opportunity to interact with field leaders from across academic and industry sectors for essential career development advice and networking opportunities. Find out more about Career Roundtables here: https://www.keystonesymposia.org/diversity/career-development-initiatives