Senior Project Leader, GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health, Italy

Roberto Adamo, PhD, is currently Senior Project Leader in GVGH. He has a 17 years industrial career in Novartis V&D and GSK. Expert in glycoconjugate vaccines and other platforms, over the last years he has served as Technology and Project Leader enabling progression into clinical studies of different vaccine candidates.

Professor of Pediatrics (retired), McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas, United States of America

Dr Baker’s research has comprised all aspects of perinatal GBS infections., especially prevention. Her studies and advocacy led to USA policy for routine intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis of GBS carriers since 1996. She became the first advocate for maternal immunization after her discovery that lack of maternal immunity was crucial for infant disease in 1976.

Head of Maternal & Newborn Health Interventions, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kenya

Dr Hellen Barsosio is a Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellow and heads maternal and newborn health studies under the KEMRI-LSTM collaboration. She leads the Gates Foundation-funded Maternal Immunisation Readiness Network Africa/Asia (MIRNA) across nine countries and co-leads maternal immunisation safety surveillance in Kenya and Ghana.

Research Director Wits VIDA, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

Prof Ziyaad Dangor is the clinical research director at the world-renowned Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA) at the University of the Witwatersrand. As a researcher, Ziyaad completed his doctoral thesis on the clinical and immunological epidemiology of Group B Streptococcal (GBS) disease. His research is dedicated to "saving young lives" by investigating the causes of mortality, advancing health advocacy, and vaccines for pregnant women to protect newborns from disease. Ziyaad serves on a number of local and international committees including the WHO Technical Advisory Group on GBS Vaccine Development.

Deputy Director, Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom

Jane Daniels is a clinical trialist, and Chief Investigator of GBS3, a massive cluster randomised trial of routine testing for GBS versus a risk factor-based strategy. The results of GBS3 will inform UK screening policy for GBS and have worldwide implications. She has also evaluated the accuracy of point-of-care GBS tests and acceptability of testing.

CEO, MinerVax ApS, Denmark

Per Fischer holds a D.Phil. from University of Oxford within immunology and infectious diseases. He has 30 years’ experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry within product development and business development, where he has founded and run several biotech companies. Since 2010 he has been the CEO of MinervaX, developing a protein-based vaccine against Group B Streptococcus, which has completed Phase 2 clinical trials across Europe and Africa.

Principal Researcher – Epidemiology; Technical lead - Maternal Immunisation Readiness Network in Africa and Asia, University of the Witwatersrand’s Vaccines & Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (Wits VIDA), South Africa

Michelle Groome has 20 years’ experience in the field of infectious diseases and vaccinology, including conduct of vaccine trials, respiratory and diarrhoeal disease surveillance, and vaccine impact and effectiveness studies. She is technical lead for the Maternal Immunisation Readiness Network in Africa and Asia (MIRNA) which aims to develop readiness for provision of new maternal vaccines.

Senior Staff Scientist - Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, United Kingdom

Dr Dorota Jamrozy is a Senior Staff Scientist at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, specialising in bacterial genomics. She has contributed to numerous genomic studies of human-associated bacterial pathogens. Her current research focuses on the genetics and evolution of Group B Streptococcus (GBS), and she serves as the project manager and scientific lead for the Juno study, a global genomic survey of GBS.

Director of Pneumonia & Pandemic Preparedness, Gates Foundation, United States of America

Prof Keith Klugman directs pneumonia, meningitis, neonatal sepsis, antimicrobial resistance, and epidemic preparedness programs at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. An Emory University Emeritus Chair and honorary professor in South Africa, he is a leading infectious-disease expert, National Academy of Medicine member, and 2024 Sabin Gold Medal recipient whose pneumococcal research and vaccine work have saved millions of lives worldwide.

Professor of Vaccinology and Immunology, City St George's, University of London, United Kingdom

Kirsty Le Doare is a Professor of Vaccinology and Immunology and WHO focal point for GBS vaccines in pregnancy. As chief investigator for CSG@MUJHU, she leads maternal vaccine and seroepidemiology studies. Her teams in Uganda and the UK investigate neonatal GBS pathogenesis and immunity to inform maternal immunisation and clinical vaccine trials.

Dean of Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witswatersrand, South Africa

Shabir Madhi has been involved in research on the clinical, molecular and sero- epidemiology of GBS for the past 25 years. Furthermore, he has been involved in number of studies aimed at establishing serological thresholds of risk reduction of invasive disease for polysaccharide and protein antigens. He has led multiple studies on multi-valent GBS polysaccharide protein conjugate vaccines in pregnant women.

Clinical coordinator for GERMS-SA lab-based surveillance programme on bacterial and fungal infections, Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a division of the National Health Laboratory Services, South Africa

Dr Susan Meiring is the clinical coordinator for GERMS-SA, a national surveillance programme on bacterial, fungal and vaccine-preventable diseases – including invasive group B streptococcal infections. A medical doctor and epidemiologist, she focuses on infectious-disease burden in vulnerable populations. She works at the NICD and holds a PhD through the school of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand.

Senior Social Scientist, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

Violet Naanyu works at Moi University, Kenya, and is an adjunct at the Center of Excellence for Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Kenya, where she is a social scientist on the PROTECT Project Work Package 4 on Vaccine Confidence. She has extensively used community-engaged research and human-centred designs.

Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nairobi, Kenya

Alfred Osoti is Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Clinical Epidemiologist with more than 19 years of clinical and research experience. Research interests in global women’s
health and averting preventable maternal and perinatal mortality in Low- and Middle-Income settings. A Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator in multinational clinical trials. Has published more than 100 articles and has more than 5000 citations. Evaluated GBS prevalence and serotypes, screening and prevention practices in Kenya.

CEO / Cofounder, Group B Strep International, United States

Marti Perhach's connection to the GBS world began in 1998 when her daughter Rose was stillborn due to group B strep. She turned to advocacy to help find the purpose in their experience, contributing significantly to the collaborative efforts to successfully campaign for universal screening in the US and then cofounding Group B Strep International.

Chief Executive, Group B Strep Support, United Kingdom

Jane Plumb founded Group B Strep Support after losing her middle child to group B Strep infection. A recognised leader in maternal and newborn health advocacy, she drives national change, influences policy, and empowers families and clinicians with clear, evidence-based information to prevent devastating infections in babies.

Advocacy & Information Manager, Group B Strep Support, United Kingdom

Oliver is the Advocacy & Information Manager at the UK charity Group B Strep Support. His brother died from a GBS infection in 1996. Oliver’s work focuses on influencing UK policy and strategy, engaging with NHS bodies, parliamentarians, and other stakeholders.

Assistant Professor, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Simon Procter is an Assistant Professor at LSHTM working across health economics, modelling, and infectious disease epidemiology. I have a particular interest in cost-effectiveness of maternal immunisation including RSV and GBS vaccines. I previously led health-economic analyses of GBS vaccines for the WHO Full Value of Vaccines Assessment and the Gavi 6.0 Vaccine Investment Strategy.

Expert consultant (retired CDC), United States of America

Dr Stephanie Schrag is an infectious disease expert and adjunct faculty at Emory University. She spent 25 years leading CDC programs on Group B Streptococcus and neonatal sepsis, co-led CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness team, and contributed to major global studies and WHO guidance. A former Marshall Scholar, she has authored more than 180 publications.