On 18 June 2019, the IMPRINT Network Steering Committee and Management Board came together at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in London, UK, to hold their second annual meeting. IMPRINT brings together scientists, researchers and other passionate professionals focusing on widespread implementation of maternal and neonatal immunisation programmes, funded by the UK’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).
The meeting commenced with a presentation delivered by the LINQ management team updating the steering group on the current project status and the two new open IMPRINT calls. These consist of a third round of Pump Priming grants and a first round of Public Engagement grants, with the latter aiming to fund new, innovative and creative projects that improve the public’s awareness and understanding of maternal vaccination.
The Network Director Prof. Beate Kampmann and Co-Director Dr. Chrissie Jones elaborated on the upcoming Industry Placement, which is a 6-month placement between The Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Pfizer, and an outstanding opportunity for applicants with a keen interest in Vaccinology. This was followed by an update on the sister network developments and an IMPRINT SWOT analysis with an open feedback round to critically review the network's halfway point and to strategise its long-term success.
The meeting continued with presentations by the IMPRINT challenge leaders showcasing the progress and results of their respective projects, and the group jointly discussed research outcomes, difficulties and opportunities. The brief yet highly effective one-day meeting came to an end and the steering group is anticipating the upcoming meeting in Vancouver (INMIS) in September of this year.
On 14 March 2024, a dedicated IMPRINT session was held as part of the 6th International Maternal and Neonatal Immunisation Symposium (INMIS) in San José, Costa Rica.
