Advancing Women's Health: Vaginal Microbiome Science and Innovation
Apr 07–10, 2027 | Fairmont Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
Scientific Organizers:
Sharon Achilles, Jeanne M. Marrazzo, and Serah Gitome
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Apr 07–10, 2027 | Fairmont Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
Scientific Organizers: Sharon Achilles, Jeanne M. Marrazzo, and Serah Gitome
Sharon Achilles
Gates Foundation
Sharon Achilles, Ph.D., M.D., is Deputy Director of Reproductive Health Technologies in Discovery & Translational Sciences at The Gates Foundation. She holds a Ph.D. in Biology from Johns Hopkins University and an M.D. from University of Pittsburgh. She is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is subspecialty trained in Complex Family Planning and Reproductive Infectious Disease. She had a career in academic medicine, including serving as Director of the Center for Family Planning Research at the University of Pittsburgh/UPMC/Magee-Womens Research Institute prior to joining the foundation in 2021. Her research focuses on transformational product development for women in low-resource settings, including contraceptives, multipurpose prevention technologies for contraception and HIV prevention, novel live biotherapeutics for bacterial vaginosis, and innovations in vaginal drug delivery and menstrual health.
Jeanne M. Marrazzo, MD
Infectious Disease Society of America
Dr. Marrazzo is the Chief Executive Officer of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), a position she began in January 2026. From 2023-2025, she was the sixth Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). She was previously the C. Glenn Cobbs Endowed Chair and Director of Infectious Diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine. She is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the IDSA and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2024 and the American Association of Arts and Sciences in 2026.
Dr. Marrazzo researches the vaginal microbiome, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. She continues to be a leading voice in the media, aiming to provide accurate and accessible information about research to fight infectious diseases.
Dr. Marrazzo has co-organized two previous Keystone Symposia conferences, the 2021 virtual meeting 'Global Priorities in Vaginal Health: Microbes, Mucosal Immunity and Interventions', and the 2018 meeting 'Role of the Genital Tract Microbiome in Sexual and Reproductive Health' in Cape Town, South Africa.
Dr. Marrazzo researches the vaginal microbiome, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. She continues to be a leading voice in the media, aiming to provide accurate and accessible information about research to fight infectious diseases.
Dr. Marrazzo has co-organized two previous Keystone Symposia conferences, the 2021 virtual meeting 'Global Priorities in Vaginal Health: Microbes, Mucosal Immunity and Interventions', and the 2018 meeting 'Role of the Genital Tract Microbiome in Sexual and Reproductive Health' in Cape Town, South Africa.
Serah Gitome
Kenya Medical Research Institute
Dr. Serah Gitome, MB ChB, MPH, is the Deputy Director of the Sexual, Reproductive, Adolescent and Child Health Program at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). She leads three Vaginal Microbiome Research Consortium for Africa (VMRC4Africa) studies in Kenya that aim to build an African evidence base on the vaginal microbiome — from characterising the healthy state, to understanding bacterial vaginosis (BV) disruption and recovery, to identifying the factors shaping its stability — to support the development of effective, women-centred, culturally relevant vaginal health interventions. With 17 years of experience in research at the intersection of HIV prevention and reproductive health, her work spans clinical, behavioural, and human-centred design research focused on developing female-oriented products and interventions for HIV, STI, and pregnancy prevention, as well as expanding women's access to reproductive healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa. She chaired a session at the African Microbiomes in Health and Disease Symposium at the University of Cape Town in 2024 and was featured in a 2025 BBC Focus on Africa podcast spotlighting KEMRI's collaborative vaginal microbiome research. She organised the annual Microbiome Symposia at the University of Nairobi–University of Manitoba collaborative research meetings in 2024 and 2025, bringing together researchers from Kenya, Uganda, the United States, Europe, and Canada.
Available Formats:
Supported by:
Livestream
In Person
On Demand
***Meeting program subject to change.
Available Formats: = Livestream = In Person = On DemandWednesday, April 7, 2027
Merchandise Options
Registration Options
Registration
4:00–8:00 PM
Thursday, April 8, 2027
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
Poster Setup
7:30–8:00 AM
Poster Viewing
7:45–5:00 PM
Welcome Remarks
8:00–8:10 AM
Keynote Address
8:10–9:00 AM
Serah Gitome, Kenya Medical Research Institute
From Discovery to Delivery: Equity, Global Diversity, and the Social Determinants of Vaginal Microbiome Health
From Discovery to Delivery: Equity, Global Diversity, and the Social Determinants of Vaginal Microbiome Health
Global Diversity and Dynamics of the Vaginal Microbiome in Health and Disease
9:00–11:15 AM
Jacques Ravel, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Global Structure of the Vaginal Microbiome: The Limits of CSTs and Clinical Correlates
Global Structure of the Vaginal Microbiome: The Limits of CSTs and Clinical Correlates
Speaker to be Announced
Laura Symul, Universite Catholique de Louvain
Dynamics and Diversity across Populations: Do Current VMB Frameworks Hold up?
Dynamics and Diversity across Populations: Do Current VMB Frameworks Hold up?
Towfida J. Siddiqua, JiVitA Project
Short Talk: What do the Clinical Tools for BV Capture and Miss in Rural Bangladesh?
Short Talk: What do the Clinical Tools for BV Capture and Miss in Rural Bangladesh?
Lan Zhu †, Peking Union Medical College Hospital
Short Talk: Geographic Diversification of Vaginal Microbiota Across China: Implications for Classification Frameworks and Regional Diagnostic Standards
Short Talk: Geographic Diversification of Vaginal Microbiota Across China: Implications for Classification Frameworks and Regional Diagnostic Standards
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
Panel Discussion with Speakers: What Would a More Robust, Globally Applicable, Clinically Actionable Classification System for the Vaginal Microbiome Look Like and What Would it Take to Get There?
11:15–11:30 AM
Health Equity Hot Seat
11:30–12:30 PM
Lunch
12:30–1:30 PM
Posters
1:00–2:30 PM
Symposia Spotlight 1: Implementation-Focused/User-Centered Research
2:30–4:30 PM
Short Talks Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Mechanistic Foundations of Host-Microbiome Interactions in the Vaginal Ecosystem
5:00–6:45 PM
Douglas S Kwon, Harvard Medical School
Microbiome-Driven Mucosal Immune Activation: Innate and Adaptive Pathways Linking Vaginal Communities to Host Susceptibility
Microbiome-Driven Mucosal Immune Activation: Innate and Adaptive Pathways Linking Vaginal Communities to Host Susceptibility
Amanda Lewis, University of California, San Diego
Family-Style Dining at the V-Lounge: How Related Bacteria Share the Glycan Feast in Bacterial Vaginosis
Family-Style Dining at the V-Lounge: How Related Bacteria Share the Glycan Feast in Bacterial Vaginosis
Adam Burgener, Case Western Reserve University
Proteomic Signatures of Host–Microbe Interactions: Defining Functional States of the Vaginal Ecosystem
Proteomic Signatures of Host–Microbe Interactions: Defining Functional States of the Vaginal Ecosystem
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Panel Discussion with Speakers: What has VMT Taught us About the Host and Microbial Determinants of a Durable, Beneficial Vaginal Microbiome and Where Does that Point us for Intervention?
6:45–7:00 PM
On Own for Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Friday, April 9, 2027
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
Poster Setup
7:30–8:00 AM
Poster Viewing
7:45–5:00 PM
From Association to Prediction: Vaginal Microbiome Links to Pregnancy Outcomes
8:00–11:00 AM
Bhabatosh Das, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute
Vaginal Microbiome Signatures of Preterm Birth in Indian Women: From Population-Level Association to Strain-Level Genomics and Point-of-Care Prediction
Vaginal Microbiome Signatures of Preterm Birth in Indian Women: From Population-Level Association to Strain-Level Genomics and Point-of-Care Prediction
David MacIntyre, Adelaide University
Turning Microbiome Associations into Tools for the Prediction and Prevention of Preterm Birth
Turning Microbiome Associations into Tools for the Prediction and Prevention of Preterm Birth
Rachel Tribe, King's College London
From Association to Prediction: Biomarkers and Risk Stratification for Preterm Birth
From Association to Prediction: Biomarkers and Risk Stratification for Preterm Birth
Tobias Brummaier †, Mahidol University
Short Talk: Vaginal Microbiota and Cytokine Signatures of Preterm Birth in Karen and Burman Women: A Multi-Omic Predictive Study from the Thai-Myanmar Border
Short Talk: Vaginal Microbiota and Cytokine Signatures of Preterm Birth in Karen and Burman Women: A Multi-Omic Predictive Study from the Thai-Myanmar Border
Moses Obimbo Madadi, University of Nairobi
Short Talk: Multi-Omic Profiling of Vaginal Microbiome and Metabolites in Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Emerging Data from a Kenyan Prospective Cohort
Short Talk: Multi-Omic Profiling of Vaginal Microbiome and Metabolites in Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Emerging Data from a Kenyan Prospective Cohort
Coffee Break
9:00–9:20 AM
Panel Discussion with Speakers: What would a Globally Applicable, Clinically Deployable Predictive Biomarker for VMB-Associated Preterm Birth Risk Look Like and are we Close?
11:00–11:15 AM
Lunch
11:15–12:15 PM
Posters
1:00–2:30 PM
Career Roundtable
3:00–4:30 PM
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Vaginal Microbiome, HIV, and HPV: From Population Risk to Mechanism in the PrEP and HPV vaccine Era
5:00–6:45 PM
Joshua Kimani, University of Nairobi- PHDA
Vaginal Microbiome, HIV, and HPV in High-Risk Populations: Cohort Evidence from East Africa
Vaginal Microbiome, HIV, and HPV in High-Risk Populations: Cohort Evidence from East Africa
Speaker to be Announced
Sujatha Srinivasan, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Microbiome-Linked Inflammation and Mucosal Susceptibility to HIV: From Bacterial Taxa to Immune Signatures Across Diverse Populations
Microbiome-Linked Inflammation and Mucosal Susceptibility to HIV: From Bacterial Taxa to Immune Signatures Across Diverse Populations
Jeanne M. Marrazzo, Infectious Disease Society of America
Does the Vaginal Microbiome Still Matter? Rethinking Infection Risk in the PrEP and HPV Vaccine Era
Does the Vaginal Microbiome Still Matter? Rethinking Infection Risk in the PrEP and HPV Vaccine Era
Ieera Madan Aggarwal, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital
Short Talk: Lactobacillus Iners Predominance in a Cross-Sectional Cohort Analysis in Singapore
Short Talk: Lactobacillus Iners Predominance in a Cross-Sectional Cohort Analysis in Singapore
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Panel Discussion with Speakers: In the Era of Cabotegravir PrEP and the HPV Vaccine, for Whom and in What Settings does the Vaginal Microbiome Remain a Clinically Actionable Target for HIV and HPV Prevention and What Would it Take to Act on That?
6:45–7:00 PM
On Own for Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Saturday, April 10, 2027
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
Engineering the Vaginal Microbiome: Progress, Limits, and the Path to Durable Engraftment
8:00–11:00 AM
Speaker to be Announced
Johan van Hylckama Vlieg, Freya Biosciences
Beyond Single Strains: Multi-Strain Consortia and Rational Design for Vaginal Microbiome Restoration
Beyond Single Strains: Multi-Strain Consortia and Rational Design for Vaginal Microbiome Restoration
Samuel Alizon, Collège de France
Resource Competition and Ecological Stability: Why Vaginal Microbiome States Persist—and How They Might Be Shifted
Resource Competition and Ecological Stability: Why Vaginal Microbiome States Persist—and How They Might Be Shifted
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Break
9:00–9:20 AM
Panel Discussion with Speakers: What is the Single Biological or Ecological Barrier that, if not Solved, Will Prevent any LBP from Achieving Durable Engraftment Regardless of How Well it is Designed?
11:00–11:15 AM
Workshop: Emerging Models and Methods
11:15–12:15 PM
Lunch
12:15–1:15 PM
Symposia Spotlight 2: Late-breaking research presentations selected from abstract submissions
2:30–4:30 PM
Short Talks Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Emerging Frontiers: Beyond Live Biotherapeutics—Host and Molecular Strategies to Enable Durable Vaginal Microbiome Control
5:00–6:00 PM
Sharon Achilles, Gates Foundation
The Limits of Lactobacillus: A Funder's Case for Augmenting LBPs to Drive Real-World Impact
The Limits of Lactobacillus: A Funder's Case for Augmenting LBPs to Drive Real-World Impact
Meilin Zhu, Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
Developing Lipid-Based, Non-Antibiotic Strategies to Support Lactobacillus Crispatus Dominance in the Vaginal Microbiome
Developing Lipid-Based, Non-Antibiotic Strategies to Support Lactobacillus Crispatus Dominance in the Vaginal Microbiome
Katharina Ribbeck, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mucus as a Gatekeeper: Shaping Microbial Colonization and Ecosystem Stability
Mucus as a Gatekeeper: Shaping Microbial Colonization and Ecosystem Stability
Matthew J. Cummings, Precisio Biotix Therapeutics
Precision Engineered Lysins Against BV Pathobionts with Multi-Target Design
Precision Engineered Lysins Against BV Pathobionts with Multi-Target Design
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Panel Discussion with Speakers: What is the Most Important Unanswered Question Standing between the Science Presented Today and a Combination Intervention that could move into a Phase 2 Efficacy Trial in an LMIC Setting?
6:00–6:15 PM
Closing Keynote Address
6:15–7:00 PM
Caroline M. Mitchell, Massachusetts General Hospital
From Microbiome to Medicine: What It Will Take to Translate Vaginal Microbiome Science into Women's Health Impact
From Microbiome to Medicine: What It Will Take to Translate Vaginal Microbiome Science into Women's Health Impact
On Own for Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Sunday, April 11, 2027
Departure
12:00–11:59 PM
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