Leprosy Research Initiative

Why attend?

Join us for an informative event showcasing the latest research and findings in the leprosy research field.

Interact & connect

Don't miss the chance to ask questions directly to leading researchers and connect with colleagues worldwide.

Open to All

This event is open to everyone interested in leprosy research and is completely free of charge.

About the event

The Leprosy Research Initiative (LRI) Spring Meeting is a key event for presenting and discussing the progress and results of LRI-funded research projects, serving as a platform for shared learning and networking. This year, the eleventh annual LRI Spring Meeting will take place online on 9 and 10 April, 2026 (13:30-17:15 CEST). The programme features daily plenary sessions with keynote presentations, followed by project presentations in parallel tracks (Track A / Track B). Thirty-five LRI-supported projects will present their progress and (preliminary) findings.

Participation is open to anyone interested in leprosy research and is free of charge. Register today!

10 April 2026 13:30 to 13:55

Plenary - Keynote presentation

Chair: Dr Richard Truman
Co-chair/moderator: Ms Ísis Umbelino Walker

Keynote presentation on Interrupting Transmission: Critical Research Gaps and Priorities - by Dr Sunil Modali (Novartis Global Health) and Mr Geoff Warne (ILEP)

10 April 2026 14:00 to 15:10

Track A3 : Transmission

Chair: Prof. Françoise Portaels

Co-chair: Prof. Jan Hendrik Richardus

Safety trial to transition the defined subunit vaccine, LepVax, into M. leprae- infected individuals in a leprosy-endemic country
STARLEP - Contribution of Drug-resistance and M. lepromatosis to persistent leprosy transmission in parts of Africa
Holistic investigation for environmental presence of Mycobacterium leprae and its implications in leprosy transmission through WASH and One Health approach
The COMBINE study: Defining the impact of combined community-wide screening and mass chemoprophylaxis for leprosy in Kiribati

10 April 2026 14:00 to 15:10

Track B3 : Disability & Stigma

Chair: Dr Erik Slim

Co-chair: Ms Jannine Ebenso

Personalized Footwear for Preventing Plantar Ulcers in Leprosy: A Community-Based Approach Using Baropodometry
Establishing the effectiveness of a peer support approach based Basic Psychological Support for NTDs (BPS-N) to address mental wellbeing, stigma and social participation of persons affected by leprosy and LF in Jharkhand, India
Addressing Leprosy Trauma Using the Traumatic Stress Relief Programme: An exploratory Trial with Persons with Lived Experience in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Working towards mental health Recovery Among Persons affected by leprosy (WRAP): A feasibility study in India and Nepal

10 April 2026 15:10 to 15:30

Break - Networking

Enjoy connecting and chatting with fellow attendees through the platform’s features ('Networking' area).

10 April 2026 15:30 to 16:40

Track A4: Disability

Chair: Dr Kate Dupnik

Co-chair: Dr Lucrecia Acosta

Efficacy and Tolerability of Adjunct Metformin in Combination with Multidrug Treatment for Multibacillary Leprosy: A Randomized Double-blind, Controlled Proof-of-Concept Phase 2 Trial in Indonesia
Does extra clofazimine for MB cases at high risk of ENL improve their prognosis/outcome over 2 years?
Decoding Therapeutic Landscapes: Unravelling the Inverse Genomic Signature of ENL for Neutrophil-Targeted Interventions
Implementation of Dapsone Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DHS) Biomolecular Predictive Test to reduce the incidence of DHS among Leprosy Patients in Papua and Nepal

10 April 2026 15:30 to 16:55

Track B4 : Stigma

Chair: Dr Cassandra White

Co-chair: Dr Srilekha Penna

Reducing Leprosy Stigma Among Healthcare Workers in Niger
Compassion training for reducing stigma and improving quality of care for persons affected by leprosy
Regional Variations in Social Stigma Toward Leprosy Patients in Bangladesh
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Mascot-Led Communication Strategy for Leprosy Awareness Among School-Going Children in Nepal
Evaluating the Impact of the DEDIKASI-App on Self-Stigma Prevention and Knowledge Enhancement Among Post-RFT Leprosy Patients in Indonesia

10 April 2026 17:00 to 17:10

Closing Plenary

Closing Plenary by Mr Joachim Beringer (CEO GLRA | LRI partner) and
Dr Richard Truman (Chairman SRC)

9 April 2026 13:30 to 14:05

Plenary - Words of Welcome & Keynote presentation

Words of Welcome by Ms Linda Hummel (Director Leprosy Research Initiative | LRI) and Dr Richard Truman (SRC Chairman)
Keynote presentation on Advancing the WHO Global Leprosy Strategy (2021–2030): The Critical Role of Research in Reducing the Disease Burden - by Dr Vivek Lal (WHO Global Leprosy Programme)

9 April 2026 14:10 to 15:05

Track A1 : Transmission

Chair: Prof. Paul Fine

Co-chair: Dr Liesbeth Mieras

Unveiling the zoonotic dynamics of Leprosy in Brazil: a molecular exploration and surveillance approach
Testing an App supported delivery system for Leprosy Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) services
Leprosy Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (LARS) in post-exposure prophylaxis setting in Tanzania

9 April 2026 14:10 to 15:05

Track B1 : Social determinants of health

Chair: Prof. Carl Kendall

Co-chair: Dr Anna Giné-March

HOPE: Harmonised Model for Optimizing Peer Support Group Effectiveness: Evaluating and Piloting a Model of Peer Support Group Sustainability in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire
The social determinants of health in people affected by leprosy in Ethiopia – a mixed methods study (SDHPAL)
Implementation of a skin Health Programme in a Ghanaian penitentiary

9 April 2026 15:05 to 15:30

Break - Networking

Enjoy connecting and chatting with fellow attendees through the platform’s features ('Networking' area).

9 April 2026 15:30 to 17:10

Track A2 : Diagnostic tests

Chair: Dr Ad Koets

Co-chair: Prof. Jan Hendrik Richardus

Genome-wide association study of leprosy per se and disease recurrence in a high endemic country
Point-of-care immunodiagnostic tests for detection of leprosy and Mycobacterium leprae infection in high & low endemic areas in the South American Amazon
Evaluation of five transcriptomic biomarkers for leprosy in a Colombian population
Seeking for immunological susceptibility markers for leprosy. Identification of SNPs in miRNAs binding sites and their role in immune response modulation in leprosy
Use of handheld ultrasound for the early detection of leprosy and evaluation of its value as compared to existing diagnostic tests
Themographic assessment of autonomic innervation in Leprosy ‘TAIL project’

9 April 2026 15:30 to 17:10

Track B2 : Operational research

Chair: Dr Erik Slim

Co-chair: Dr Sunil Anand

Removable off-loading devices versus total contact cast to promote healing of plantar ulcer in Leprosy: a non-inferiority, randomized control trial
Addressing healing after multi-drug treatment centred around perspectives of persons affected by leprosy, their families and healthcare providers: a qualitative study
The role of persons affected as agents of change in their community; leprosy peer mentors to support case detection, DMDI and stigma reduction
Collaborative co-design to optimize evidence-based and contextual general health worker training in integrated screening for leprosy and other skin NTDs in Nigeria
CapaBLe: Capacity Building for Leprosy
Setting an external quality assessment (EQA) programme for enhancing capacity building focusing to the microbiological tools used in the diagnosis of leprosy and the detection of drug resistance

Speakers

Mr Joachim Beringer

Ms Ulfah Abqari

Mr Subin Adhikari

Mr Musfiq Rahman

Mr Anil Kumar

Prof. Amina Alio

Dr Divya RSJB Rana

Dr Veronica Schmitz Pereira

Dr Vivek Vasudev Pai

Dr Marlous Grijsen

Mr James George

Dr Safa Kemal Kaptan

Dr Michael Sukumar Pallapati

Dr Patrick Campbell

Dr Sruthi Konduru

Dr Sofie Braet

Dr Becky Rivoire

Mr Geoff Warne

Dr Sunil Modali

Mrs Melissa Nait Chabane

Dr Paul Tsaku

Dr Suleiman Hudu Abdullahi

Mr Fredrick Selorm Tsikpor

Dr Joydeepa Darlong

Mr Karthikeyan Govindasamy

Dr Suraj Maharjan

Dr Sujai Suneetha

Dr Frederico Marianetti Soriani

Ms Lina Marcela Restrepo Rivera

Ms Antoniella de Aguiar

Ms Isabel Carvalho Oliveira

Ms Ruth Dede Tuwor

Dr Saba Maria Lambert

Dr Oluwatosin Adekeye

Ms Neema Ally Bendera

Dr Arup Kumar Chakrabartty

Dr Naiara Guimaraes Sales

Dr Vivek Lal

Dr Richard Truman

Ms Linda Hummel

FAQs

Yes, you’ll need to fill out our registration form to gain access to the event. Please fill in the registration form with some basic information to get started.

The information you provide upon registration will only be used to establish you as a user on the platform and to create your login credentials. It will not be used for any other purposes.

Yes, this event is completely free to attend.

Yes, the vFairs platform is compatible with any computer or mobile device and any browser.

You’ll need a reliable internet connection, a computer or tablet, and an up-to-date browser. No special software is required; the event will run entirely through your web browser.

Yes, you can submit your questions through the event platform, and speakers will address them in real-time.

Yes, the sessions will be recorded and the recordings will become available later. However, we encourage attendance to the event so you can ask your questions via the Q&A chatbox during the live sessions. Additionally, there is the possibility of having a chat with other attendees and networking.

You can use the chat function to reach out to attendees of the LRI Spring Meeting and connect. There is also the option to use the ‘Matchmaking’ feature to connect with another attendee who is randomly matched for a quick video chat.

For questions regarding the event, please contact the LRI Secretariat: info@leprosyresearch.org

If you need technical assistance, please contact: leprosyresearch@getvfairs.io