The 6th International Workshop on Streptococcus suis in the United Kingdom

Saint-Hyacinthe, October 7, 2025 – On September 5 and 6, the city of Cambridge, United Kingdom, hosted the 6th International Workshop on Streptococcus suis (6th IWSs), a major event bringing together the scientific community from around the world working in the field of swine health. This event was jointly organized by:

• Dan Tucker: Professor of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge (Pembroke College);

• Mariela Segura: Canada Research Chair in Immunoglycobiology of Infectious Diseases, Professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal and Director of the Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA);

• Marcelo Gottschalk: Professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal and Director of the Research and Diagnostic Laboratory of Streptococcus suis;

• Lucy Weinert: Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge and Doctor at the Pembroke College of the University of Cambridge.

This gathering allowed 130 participants from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, China, Thailand and Vietnam to discuss research advances related to Streptococcus suis. The conference was notable for its rich program, with 9 renowned guest speakers, 20 presentations by researchers or students, and 46 poster presentations, as well as 12 sponsors, including 7 from the private sector, 4 from the public academic sector and 1 Canadian granting agency, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

Photo with the participants

The keynote speakers addressed the following topics:

• “Navigating host barriers: Sensory systems and phase-variable epigenetics in Streptococcus suis” by Prof. Jerry Wells, Wageningen University Research, the Netherlands

• “Adaptative survival and infection of Streptococcus suis” by Prof. Lu Li, Huazhong Agricultural University, China

• “Deciphering the unknown: Analysis of Streptococcus suis cell wall glycans and glycolipids” by Dr. Nicolas Gisch, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Germany

• “In the shadow of Streptococcus suis: A genomic look at emerging streptococcal lineages” by Prof. Nahuel Fittipaldi, University of Montreal, Canada

• “Zoonotic potential of Streptococcus suis” by Prof. Constance Schultsz, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands

• “Disease emergence and livestock intensification” by Prof. James Wood, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

• “Phages infecting Streptococcus suis: are they there and should we care? by Dr. John Kenny, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ireland

• “Insights into Streptococcus suis prevention and control: progress, pitfalls, and perspectives” by Prof. Marcelo Gottschalk, University of Montreal, Canada

• “Dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes by chromosomal mobile genetic elements in Streptococcus suis” by Dr. Sophie Payot, French National Institute of Agriculture, Food and Environment, France

Photo with the organizers (Marcelo Gottschalk, Mariela Segura, Dan Tucker, and Lucy Weinert) and the keynote speakers

The 6th IWSs was the occasion to present two CRIPA outreach allowance to Fengyang Hsu and Daphné Cartier, both students at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Montreal.

Photo with the Quebec delegation

The organizing committee of the 6th IWSs would like to express its gratitude to the University of Cambridge, Pembroke College, CEVA Animal Health, MSD Animal Health, Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA), Huazhong Agricultural University, Evolution for Animal Health (EVAH), Virbac, Veterinary Research Journal, International Development Research Centre, UK Aid et GAMRIF for their financial contribution.

About the CRIPA

The CRIPA, Swine and poultry infectious diseases research center, is a Quebec strategic cluster financed by the Fonds de recherche du Québec. Its mission is to improve the control of pathogens that affect the pig and poultry industries, having an economic impact and on the health of populations. Population health includes animal health and welfare, the health of workers and industry stakeholders, and the general public. For more information, visit http://www.cripa.center/.

About the University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge has more than 24,000 students, from over 140 countries. The University's mission is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence. Their researchers collaborate with colleagues worldwide. The University has established partnerships in Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit https://www.cam.ac.uk/.

About the Pembroke College

The Pembroke College is an intimate yet diverse community, committed to welcoming students of exceptional talent regardless of their social, cultural or educational background, and giving them the benefit of contact with a large and distinguished Fellowship. The Pembroke College pride itself on its strong tutorial system, offering support in every way possible, academic, practical and financial, to its students as they pursue their chosen academic path and develop their intellectual potential to the full. For more information, visit https://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/.

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Information

Gabriela Silva-Guerra 

Communication Officer

Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA) 

450 773 8521, extension 8233 | gabriela.silva-guerra@umontreal.ca