The Meeting
We are pleased to announce the first CRC DECIDE International Symposium, an international event dedicated to host-directed therapies for human infectious diseases. The symposium, organized by the Collaborative Research Center DECIDE, will take place from 22 to 24 March 2026 in Würzburg, Germany, at Hotel Melchior Park.
The worldwide rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria and pandemics, such as COVID-19, significantly affects our healthcare systems and societies. While pathogen-targeted therapies have been very effective in fighting infectious diseases, they drive the evolution of resistant microbes and facilitate unrelated diseases by disrupting the protective functions of the microbiota. Additionally, host immune responses can worsen the outcomes of many infectious diseases, like COVID-19. Therefore, solely targeting the pathogen is not always sufficient for successful treatment. Another strategy involves host-directed therapies, which focus on targeting host cellular processes vital for pathogen survival or adjusting immune responses to either strengthen immunity or lower immunopathology. However, we currently understand very little about possible host targets. In particular, the processes that lead from an initially harmless infection to a severe or chronic disease have not been systematically studied. There is a pressing need to identify molecular decision points in the host that control disease progression and outcome.
The three-day DECIDE Symposium includes talks by distinguished national and international speakers to provide a forum for discussing the opportunities and challenges of advancing host-directed therapies for a broader range of infectious diseases.
Speakers
For further information, please click on the speakers' name.
The Francis Crick Institute,
London, UK
Freiburg University Hospital,
Freiburg, DE
Children's Mercy Research Institute, Kansas City, US
Jena University Hospital,
Jena, DE
University of California,
Los Angeles, US
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, US
DECIDE,
Würzburg, DE
Essen University Hospital,
Essen, DE
Giessen University Hospital,
Giessen, DE
McGill University Health Center, Montreal, CN
University of Zürich,
Zürich, CH
University of Tübingen,
Tübingen, DE
DECIDE,
Würzburg, DE
Institut Pasteur,
Paris, FR
DECIDE,
Würzburg, DE
University of Münster,
Münster, DE
University Hospital Basel,
Basel, CH
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Hannover, DE
DECIDE,
Würzburg, DE
Program
Sunday, 22 March 2026
4.00 pm
5.00 pm
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5.15 pm
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6.30 pm​
Registration (coffee)
Welcome address and introduction - Thomas Rudel
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Keynote lecture
Andreas Wack​
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Dinner & get together
Registration & Fees
Registration deadline
27 February 2026
Call for poster abstracts
27 February 2026
Registration fees
CRC DECIDE Members: €0.00
Students: €75.00
Academics: €150.00
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Registration includes:
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Conference materials
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Access to all sessions
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Food and drinks during coffee breaks, lunches, dinners and finger food during poster session
Accommodation is not included. Please see hotel registration information under LOCATION below.​
The cost of the social event, the 'Guided Night Watchman Tour' (Monday, 9:30-10:30 pm), is not included. This will cost an additional €15.00 if you choose to participate. Please indicate whether or not you will be participating when registering.
Payment
Please note that you will receive a separate email with detailed payment instructions after your registration has been confirmed. Please ensure you also check your Spam/Junk folder. Payment should be made exclusively via national and international bank transfer. Credit card payment is not possible.
Poster specifications
The poster should be in DIN A0 (84,1 x 118,9 cm), in portrait format.
Contact
CRC DECIDE - SFB1583 Coordinator: Kathrin Geyer-Wilkinson
Email: sfb1583@uni-wuerzburg.de
Location
Hotel Melchior Park
Am Galgenberg 49
97074 Würzburg - Germany
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For further information, please see
Social event
Guided Night Watchman Tour
in Würzburg (tour will be in English)