Industry-Sponsored Symposia at IMARI showcase cutting-edge science and innovation driving the future of antimicrobial research and development. Hosted by leading industry partners, these sessions bring together academic, clinical, regulatory, and industry experts to share insights, highlight emerging solutions, and foster collaboration. Explore the schedule below to learn more about each symposium and plan your participation.
Wednesday, January 28
Lunch Symposia 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Industry Sponsored Lunch Symposia – bioMérieux
From Empiricism to Precision: How Diagnostics Enable Optimal Use of Novel Therapeutics
Ryan Shields, PharmD, M.S., Pharmacist-Scientist, Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
The goal of this talk is to align clinical care, stewardship, microbiology and the antimicrobial pipeline towards optimal use of newly developed antibiotics aimed to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens.
Thursday, January 29
Lunch Symposia 1–2 p.m.
Industry Sponsored Lunch Symposia – AbbVie
Review of the EMBLAVEO In Vitro and Clinical Data Brandon Smith, M.D., PharmD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Executive Specialty Representative at AbbVie – Dermatology/Immunology
This session will provide an overview of the in vitro and clinical data supporting the use of EMBLAVEO.
Evening Symposia 6–8 p.m.
Industry Sponsored Evening Symposium – Becton Dickinson (BD)
NDM as a Signal: What a 460% Surge Reveals About AMR System Readiness
Romney Humphries, Ph.D., D(ABMM), M(ASCP), Director of the Division of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Director of the Microbiology Laboratory at Vanderbilt University, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Lynn Connolly, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer at Qpex
Maroya Spalding Walters, Ph.D., ScM, Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service and Senior Epidemiologist and Lead of the Antimicrobial Resistance Team at CDC
The CDC’s recent report of a 460% increase in New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)–producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) is more than a microbiologic anomaly — it’s a stress test for our healthcare infrastructure. This symposium will use NDM as a case study to examine how a single resistance mechanism can expose systemic gaps across diagnostics, therapeutic innovation, stewardship, and public health policy.
Through a cross-functional lens, experts will explore how mechanism-level data can drive smarter detection, targeted therapy, and coordinated response. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how early warning signals like NDM can catalyze innovation and collaboration across sectors to strengthen AMR preparedness.
