The fi rst Cryptosporidium meeting: a concerted effort to fi ght cryptosporidiosis

The first biennial Cryptosporidium meeting was held on 10-12 March 2024 in Philadelphia, PA, USA. The organizers, Dr Boris Striepen and Dr Christopher Hunter, welcomed more than 130 attendees to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. The meeting opened with a panel discussion featuring a diverse group of researchers, clinicians, non-profit and industry partners who offered unique insights into the problems of cryptosporidiosis. Seven research themed sessions ('Impact of cryptosporidiosis', 'Population genetics', 'Genomics and new tools for research and translation', 'Parasite cell and developmental biology', 'Host-parasite interaction and immunity', 'Cryptosporidium metabolism and emerging targets', and 'Immunity to Cryptosporidium and vaccines'), as well as two poster sessions completed the meeting. A farewell dinner in the domed Asia gallery of the Penn Museum was organized for all the attendees. The meeting was graciously supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Novartis, Zoetis, and several centers and departments of the University of Pennsylvania. In this TrendsTalk, we invited the session chairs to highlight the innovative research and discoveries presented during the inaugural Cryptosporidium meeting.