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Program

Join ASM and IDSA for the inaugural Interdisciplinary Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance and Innovation (IMARI), a one-of-a-kind forum uniting scientist, clinicians, industry leaders, and policymakers to advance the global response to antimicrobial resistance. This groundbreaking event will showcase the latest in antimicrobial drug discovery, development, and implementation through a dynamic and collaborative program. 

Program highlights include: 

  •  Plenary sessions featuring world-renowned thought leaders 
  •  Scientific symposia exploring advanced topics in antimicrobial resistance 
  •  Industry programs highlighting innovative and emerging technologies 
  •  Meet the expert sessions for direct dialogue with leaders in the field 
  •  Poster sessions presenting high-impact research from across disciplines 

Download Schedule-at-a-Glance

Note: The following schedule is a long-form comprehensive look at the meeting, including session times, speakers and topics.

Wednesday, January 28 Thursday, January 29 Friday, January 30


Wednesday, January 28

Workshops
8 a.m.–12 p.m.

(Additional fee $ and advanced registration required)

Expert Symposium A: Microbiomes as Reservoirs, Catalysts, and Solutions for AMR
Moderators: Amy Mathers, M.D., D(ABMM), University of Virginia; Romney Humphries, Ph.D., D(ABMM), M(ASCP), Vanderbilt University Medical Center

  • 8–8:45 a.m. | Genomics of AMR: Past, Present, and Future
    Speaker: Derrick Crook, MBBCh, FRCP, FRCPath, University of Oxford

  • 8:45–9:30 a.m. | Accelerating Antibiotic Discovery with AI
    Speaker: Cesar de la Fuente, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

  • 9:30–10 a.m. | Break

  • 10–10:30 a.m. | Approach to Understanding AMR Emergence in Microbiomes
    Speaker: Ashlee Earl, Ph.D., Broad Institute

  • 11–11:30 a.m. | Healthy Microbes Protecting Patients from AMR Emergence
    Speaker: Mary Hayden, M.D., Rush University

  • 11:30 a.m.–12 p.m. | Microbiomes as Reservoirs, Catalysts, and Solutions for AMR 
    Speaker: Michael Woodworth, M.D., MSc, Emory University

Expert Symposium B: Translating Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics to Optimize Antimicrobial Development and Clinical Utility
Moderators: Ryan Shields, Pharm.D., M.S., Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP); Thomas Tängdén, M.D., Ph.D., European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID); David Andes, M.D., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • 8–8:10 a.m. | Welcome and Overview of Key Objectives for PK-PD Expert Symposium
    Speakers: Ryan Shields, Pharm.D., M.S., Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP); Thomas Tängdén, M.D., Ph.D., European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID); David Andes, M.D., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • 8:10–8:55 a.m. | From Target to Therapeutic: Early PK Considerations in Antimicrobial Drug Development
    Speaker: Alexander Lepak, M.D., University of Wisconsin

  • 8:55–9:40 a.m. | Defining the Optimal Dose through Innovative Pre-Clinical PK-PD Models and Framework
    Speaker: Sujata Bhavani, Pharm.D., MSc, Institute for Clinical Pharmcodynamics

  • 9:40–10:10 a.m. | Networking Break

  • 10:10–10:40 a.m. | Site-Specific PK-PD of Antimicrobials: From ELF to CNS
    Speaker: Keith Rodvold, Pharm.D., University of Illinois

  • 10:40–11:10 a.m. | A New Era of Oral Agents for MDR Pathogens: PK-PD Considerations
    Speaker: Navaneeth Narayanan, Pharm.D., MPH, Rutgers University

  • 11:10–11:40 a.m. | Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: New Perspectives, Feasibility, and Applications for Patients with Difficult-to-Treat Infections
    Speaker: Erin McCreary, Pharm.D., University of Pittsburgh

  • 11:40 a.m.–12 p.m. | Wrap Up, Questions, and Discussion
12:15–2:15 p.m. Industry Sponsored Lunch Symposia
3–5 p.m.

Opening Ceremony: Antimicrobial Resistance: Facing the Challenge Now
Moderators: TBA

  • 3–3:15 p.m. | Opening Remarks
    Speakers: TBA

  • 3:15–3:45 p.m. | Antimicrobial Resistance: A Top Public Health Priority
    Speaker: Kevin Outterson, J.D., LL.M., ESQ, Boston University

  • 3:45–4:15 p.m. | Discovering New Antibiotics in the 21st Century
    Speaker: Kim Lewis, Ph.D., Northeastern University

  • 4:15–4:45 p.m. | Fighting an Antimicrobial Resistant Infection: A Patient’s Perspective
    Speaker: Ella Balasa, Patient Advocate
5–6:30 p.m. Opening Reception

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Thursday, January 29

Concurrent Sessions
7:30–8:45 a.m.

Meet the Expert: PBP Occupancy: Challenges and Opportunities for Antimicrobial Discovery
Moderators: TBA

  • Mechanistic Considerations of PBP Inhibition
    Speaker: Antonio Oliver, M.D., Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears

  • Landscape and Phenotypic Determination of the Effect of PBP Inhibition in Gram-Negative Bacteria
    Speaker: Jürgen Bulitta, Ph.D., University of Florida

Meet the Expert: Metallo-β-lactamases and MBL Inhibitors
Moderators: TBA

  • Novel Insights into metallo-β-lactamase Kinetics
    Speaker: Alejandro Vila, Ph.D., Universidad del Rosario

  • Rational Design of metallo-β-lactamase Inhibitors
    Speaker: Graciela Mahler, Ph.D., Universidad de la República

Mentoring Session: Career Paths in AMR
Moderators: Bill Shafer, Ph.D., Emory University; Harrison Lee, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh

  • Panel Discussion
    Speakers: Judith Steenbergen, Ph.D., Scientific and Medical Affairs Consulting; Eric Brown, Ph.D., McMaster University; Pranita Tamma, M.D., M.H.S., Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
9–10:30 a.m.

Plenary Session: New Antimicrobial Agents in The Pipeline: Early Pre-Clinical Development
Moderators: Karen Bush, Ph.D., Indiana University; Patricia Bradford, Ph.D., Antimicrobial Development Specialists, LLC

  • 9–9:20 a.m. | New Antimicrobial Agents in The Pipeline
    Speaker: Karen Bush, Ph.D., Indiana University

  • 9:20–10:30 a.m. | New Antimicrobial Agents
    Submissions being accepted through December 1, 2025. Learn more.
Concurrent Sessions
10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Symposium: Hot Topics in AMR Among Gram-Positive Bacteria
Moderators: TBA

  • 10:45–11:15 a.m. | Update on Mechanisms of Cell Envelope Stress Against Lipopeptides
    Speaker: Yousif Shamoo, Ph.D., Rice University

  • 11:15–11:45 a.m. | Collateral Damage of Rifaximin Prophylaxis in VRE
    Speaker: Glen Carter, Ph.D., University of Melbourne

  • 11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Non-Traditional Approaches to Gram-Positive Infections
    Speaker: Victor Nizet, M.D., University of California

Symposium: New Generation β-lactamase Inhibitors
Moderators: TBA

  • 10:45–11:15 a.m. | β-lactamase Inhibitor Discovery
    Speaker: Olga Lomovskaya, Ph.D., Qpex

  • 11:15–11:45 a.m. | Escape Mutants Against Novel Broad Spectrum BLIs: Microbiological and Clinical Implications
    Speaker: Laurent Poirel, Ph.D., University of Fribourg

  • 11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Rationale for Pairing β-lactams with Inhibitors
    Speaker: Tomefa Asempa, PharmD, Hartford Hospital Center for Anti-Infective Research & Development (CAIRD)

Symposium: Antifungal Discovery Near and Far
Moderators: TBA

  • 10:45–11:15 a.m. | Antifungal Resistance Gaps
    Speaker: Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, M.D., UTHealth Houston

  • 11:15–11:45 a.m. | Early Discovery Approaches and Promising Leads
    Speaker: Damian Krysan, M.D., Ph.D., University of Iowa

  • 11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | New Agents in Clinical Development
    Speaker: Andrej Spec, M.D., MSCI, Washington University
12:30–2 p.m.

Poster Session #1
Concurrent Sessions
2:15–3:45 p.m.

Symposium: Novel Insights into β-lactam Resistance in Gram-Positive Pathogens 
Moderators: TBA

  • 2:15–2:45 p.m. | Structure-Guided Inhibitor Discovery Targeting beta-lactam Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms
    Speaker: Natalie Strynadka, Ph.D., University of British Columbia

  • 2:45–3:15 p.m. | Mechanisms of Broad-spectrum β-lactam Resistance in S. aureus
    Speaker: Som Chatterjee, Ph.D., University of Maryland

  • 3:15–3:45 p.m. | PBPs and β-lactam Resistance in Enterococci and Streptococci
    Speaker: Louis Rice, M.D., Brown University

Symposium: What is New in Antimicrobial Resistance Detection? AST for New Agents Against MDRO  
Moderators: TBA

  • 2:15–2:45 p.m. | Diagnostics and the Need for Drug Development
    Speaker: Robin Patel, M.D., Mayo Clinic

  • 2:45–3:15 p.m. | Predicting Novel AMR Resistance Mechanisms through AI and WGS
    Speaker: David Greenberg, M.D., University of Texas Southwestern

  • 3:15–3:45 p.m. | Transcriptomics as a Tool to Predict Antibiotic Susceptibility
    Speaker: Roby Bhattacharyya, M.D., Ph.D., Broad Institute-Harvard

Symposium: Current Trends in Antifungal Resistance  
Moderators: TBA

  • 2:15–2:45 p.m. | Candida Tolerance and Heteroresistance
    Speaker: Tobias Hohl, M.D., Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering

  • 2:45–3:15 p.m. | The Rise of Candida auris
    Speaker: Jeniel Nett, M.D., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • 3:15–3:45 p.m. | Resistance in Aspergillus and Related Molds
    Speaker: Nathan Wiederhold, Pharm.D., University of Texas at San Antonio
4–5:15 p.m.

Plenary Session  
Moderators: TBA

  • 4–4:45 p.m. | Outstanding Oral Abstract Presentations

    • 4–4:15 p.m. | A Novel Mechanism of Ceftolozane–Tazobactam Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Mediated by L2 Beta-Lactamase
      Presenter: Preeti Garai, Northwestern University
    • 4:15–4:30 p.m. | Investigations on the Mechanism of Action of the Novel Anti-Fungal MBX-7591
      Presenter: Keyla Ramirez Soto, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine
    • 4:30–4:45 p.m. | Transferable B-lactam Resistance in Multidrug-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis Via Truncation of pbp4 and Acquisition of a Novel PBP (PBP-4a) Gene
      Presenter: Guillermo Hoppe-Elsholz, Weill Cornell Medical College

  • 4:45–5:15 p.m. | The Ribosome as an Antibacterial Target
    Speaker: Shura Mankin, DSc, Ph.D., University of Illinois

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Friday, January 30

Concurrent Sessions
7:30–8:45 a.m.

Meet the Expert: Best AMR Papers of 2025: AAC and JID
Moderators: Cynthia Sears, M.D., Editor in Chief of JID; Cesar A. Arias, M.D., Ph.D., M.S., Editor in Chief of AAC

  • 7:30–8:45 a.m. | Research Highlights: Selected Best Papers
    Speaker(s): Ayesha Khan, Ph.D., UC Irvine School of Medicine; Maddison Stellfox, MD, University of Pittsburgh

Meet the Expert: Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X), Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy (PACE), Gram-Negative Antibiotic Discovery Innovator (Gr-ADI)
Moderators: TBA

  • 7:30–8:45 a.m. | Panel Discussion
    Speakers: Su Chiang, Ph.D., (CARB-X); Beverley Isherwood, Ph.D., (PACE); Erin Duffy PhD, Gates Foundation, (Gr-ADI)

Meet the Expert: NIH Grants in AMR
Moderators: TBA

  • 7:30–8:45 a.m. | NIH Grants in AMR
    Speakers: Clayton Huntley, Ph.D., NIH/NIAID; Michael Berney, Ph.D., Chair AIRT, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Concurrent Sessions
9–10:30 a.m.

Symposium: Novel Dosing Strategies to Optimize Efficacy of New Antimicrobials Against MDR Pathogens  
Moderators: TBA

  • 9–9:30 a.m. | Long-Acting Glycopeptides
    Speaker: Cecilia Tran, Pharm.D., Houston Methodist and Weill Cornell

  • 9:30–10 a.m. | β-lactam – β-lactamase Inhibitors
    Speaker: Federico Pea, M.D., Pharm.D., University of Bologna

  • 10–10:30 a.m. | Antifungals
    Speaker: Alexander Lepak, M.D., University of Wisconsin

Symposium: Optimizing Clinical Trial Design for New Antibiotics  
Moderators: TBA

  • 9–9:30 a.m. | Bacteremia
    Speaker: Tom Holland, M.D., Duke University

  • 9:30–10 a.m. | Nosocomial Pneumonia/VAP
    Speaker: Richard Wunderink, M.D., Northwestern

  • 10–10:30 a.m. | Trials in Antifungals
    Speaker: Minh-Hong Nguyen, M.D., University of Pittsburgh

Symposium: Antibiotic Discovery  
Moderators: TBA

  • 9–9:30 a.m. | AI and Antibiotic Discovery
    Invited Speaker: James Collins, Ph.D., Broad Institute

  • 9:30–10 a.m. | What’s New in Monoclonal Antibodies
    Invited Speaker: Juliane Bubeck-Wardenburg, M.D., Ph.D., Washington University

  • 10–10:30 a.m. | Mining the Natural World for Antibiotic Discovery
    Speaker: Rolf Mueller, Pharm.D., Ph.D., Helmholtz Pharmaceutical
10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Poster Session #2
12:30–1:45 p.m.

Plenary Session and Closing Lecture  
Moderators: TBA

  • 12:30–1:15 p.m. | Outstanding Oral Abstract Presentations

    • 12:30–12:45 p.m. | Emergence and Genomic Context of Aztreonam–Avibactam Non-Susceptibility in Metallo-β-Lactamase–Producing Escherichia coli in Michigan
      Presenter: Karla Vasco, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services

    • 12:45–1 p.m. | Base Excision Repair Deficiency Drives Highly Specific Mutagenesis and Rapid Drug Resistance Acquisition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      Presenter: Kalen Hall, Informuta, Inc.

    • 1–1:15 p.m. | Direct-from-Blood Molecular Diagnostic for Detection of Bloodstream Pathogens and Antimicrobial Resistant Markers in ~ 1 Hour
      Presenter: Kimberle Chapin, Deepull Diagnostics

  • 1:15–1:45 p.m. | Looking Ahead: The Next Era of AMR Research and Discovery
    Speaker: Eric Brown, Ph.D., McMaster University

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