Congress Themes

Synergies. Symbioses. Sustainability.

The BIO26-South Africa Congress aims to bring together postgraduate students, early-career and established researchers, industry professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders from public and private sectors. As a multidisciplinary gathering, the Congress will foster conversations across the spectrum of microbiology and biotechnology, offering opportunities for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration in a rapidly evolving research and innovation landscape.

Keynote Speaker

Professor Fidele Ntie-Kang 

Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Head of the Centre for Drug Discovery (UB-CeDD)

University of Buea, Cameroon

Professor Fidele Ntie-Kang is an esteemed medicinal chemist and computational drug discovery expert, and leads the Centre for Drug Discovery (UB-CeDD) at the University of Buea. Established with a landmark Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UB-CeDD is the first of its kind in Central Africa and serves as a hub for natural product–based drug research.

A pioneer in chemoinformatics for natural product research, Professor Ntie-Kang developed the African Natural Products Database (ANPDB) with more than 11,000 compounds from all regions of the continent. This is a critical tool for virtual screening and drug discovery using Africa’s rich medicinal flora. His research spans molecular modeling, QSAR, ADMET predictions, and virtual screening, and he has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

Professor Ntie-Kang’s work exemplifies the BIO26 theme of “Synergies, Symbioses, Sustainability” By connecting computational chemistry, indigenous knowledge, and drug discovery, he advances a transformative approach to sustainable health innovation. Leading the only drug discovery center in Central Africa, he embodies the synergy of regional leadership, scientific collaboration, and practical application—perfectly aligning with BIO26’s vision for a bio-based, sustainable future.

Keynote Lecture Title: Fostering Drug Discovery in Africa inspired by Natural Products

Plenary Speakers

Professor Salim Abdool Karim

Director, Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA)

CAPRISA Professor of Global Health, Columbia University

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), University of KwaZulu-Natal

Professor Salim S. Abdool Karim is a world-renowned clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist, whose leadership has shaped global responses to HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. He is Director of CAPRISA and CAPRISA Professor of Global Health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and also serves as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Professor Abdool Karim is an adjunct Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard University and adjunct Professor of Medicine at Cornell University. He serves on editorial boards including The New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet Global Health. He is a member of the US National Academy of Medicine and a Fellow of the Royal Society.

A visionary in HIV prevention, Professor Abdool Karim co-led the CAPRISA 004 tenofovir gel trial, demonstrating for the first time that antiretrovirals can prevent sexually acquired HIV and genital herpes in women—a landmark breakthrough that laid the foundation for modern PrEP strategies. His work has influenced global treatment and prevention guidelines, particularly in HIV/TB co-infection management. 

Professor Abdool Karim’s career exemplifies the BIO26 theme of “Synergies, Symbioses, Sustainability”—through scientific discovery, community impact, and global leadership. His fusion of research, policy, and advocacy has directly advanced public health in Africa and worldwide, and his plenary presentation will provide powerful insights into sustainable health systems and bio-based resilience in the bioscience era.

Plenary Lecture Title: A Research Response to a Pandemic

Professor Russell T. Hill

Professor & Director, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET)

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Professor Russell T. Hill is a distinguished marine microbiologist and senior leader at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), where he served as Executive Director of the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) from 2012 to 2025. He has spearheaded interdisciplinary initiatives that advance translational research in marine microbiology, molecular biology, and biotechnology.

Professor Hill’s research focuses on the symbiotic relationships between bacteria and marine invertebrates, particularly sponges, and on the role of marine microbes in nutrient cycling, drug discovery, and biofuel development. His laboratory was among the first to characterize sponge-associated microbial communities using molecular tools, and has made significant contributions to understanding microbial-driven phosphorus and nitrogen cycles in aquatic ecosystems. Under his leadership, IMET has become a hub for cutting-edge science, fostering collaborations in the University System of Maryland, and contributing to sustainable solutions in aquaculture, biotechnology, and public health.

A native of South Africa, Professor Hill’s work epitomizes the Congress theme “Synergies, Symbioses, Sustainability”. By bridging microbial ecology, environmental science, and technology to address global challenges, his career highlights the potential of marine symbioses to drive innovation and sustainability. His South African roots, matched with his leadership in U.S. marine research, uniquely position him to inspire robust cross-continental dialogue at BIO26.

Dr Vasilis Kokkoris 

Assistant Professor of Systems Ecology

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Dr Vasilis Kokkoris is an emerging leader in the study of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)—the symbiotic organisms that form extensive underground networks with plant roots. As an Assistant Professor in Systems Ecology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, he employs cutting-edge molecular methods, advanced microscopy, and imaging analysis to uncover the dynamics of thousands of nuclei within individual fungal cells and to map their networked interactions across soil ecosystems.

His research spans multiple ecological scales:

• Nuclear scale – characterizing the arrangement, interaction, and coordination of nuclei within multinucleate AMF cells.
• Network scale – investigating how intrastrain interactions shape mycelial connectivity and symbiotic functioning with host plants.
• Agricultural and ecosystem scale – evaluating how AMF nuclear dynamics influence plant responses, community composition, and ecosystem function across environmental gradients.

Dr Kokkoris’s mesmerizing microscopy work has received global acclaim, earning top prizes such as the Nikon Small World 2020 and Olympus Image of the Year 2021 awards. In 2022, he was awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant to explore the evolutionary and functional implications of AMF’s unique multinucleate organization.

Dr Kokkoris’s work—at the intersection of symbiosis, ecology, and innovation—exemplifies the BIO26 theme of “Synergies, Symbioses, Sustainability” By exploring how unseen fungal networks underpin ecosystem resilience and agricultural productivity, his interdisciplinary research highlights transformative pathways toward sustainability informed by symbiotic systems. His findings illuminate how multi-scale interactions in the soil can inform bio-based solutions amid a changing climate.