Program

Fungal Dx 26

December 2-4, 2026 Bethesda, MD, USA & Online

A Hybrid Event

Fungal Dx 26: Bring together clinical, public health, and translational researchers to advance fungal diagnostics, address antifungal resistance, and drive innovation in diagnostic technologies.

Fungal Dx 26 | Dec 2–4, 2026 | Bethesda, MD, USA & Online

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Program – Day 1 (December 2, 2026)

 07:00 - 8.00 AM 

Registration

  08 - 8:30 AM 

Welcome and Opening Ceremony

08:30 - 10:00 AM 

Session 1: Epidemiology and Global Burden of Fungal Diseases. Chair: Dr. John Bennett

  • Lecture 1. Epidemiology of fungal infections in normal and abnormal hosts, ICU patients, and children, underlying risk factors. Dr. Jennifer M. Cuellar-Rodriguez
  • Lecture 2. Global burden of fungal diseases (updates on Americas, African countries, Europe, and Asia). Dr. Malcolm Richardson
  • Lecture 3. Updates on Fungal nomenclature (medically important fungi)-WHO fungal priority list, emerging fungal pathogens. Dr. Shawn Lockhart
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion.

10:00 - 10:30 AM 

Comfort Break, cookies, Coffee & Connect

10:00 AM - 12.00 PM 

Session 2: Superficial and Cutaneous Mycoses: Clinical Spectrum and Diagnostics. Chair: Dr. June Kwon-Chung

  • Lecture 4. Dermatophyte infections of skin, hair and nails. Dr. Amir Seyedmousavi
  • Lecture 5. Superficial/Mucocutaneous Candidiasis and Malassezia infections. TBD
  • Lecture 6. Diagnostic Work-Up for Superficial & Cutaneous Mycoses. Dr. Ana Alastruey
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion

12:00 - 1:30 PM 

Lunch & Networking Break

Industry Exhibition Visits

Poster session


01:30 - 3.30 PM 

Session 3: Aspergillus Diseases: Clinical, Laboratory, and Radiologic Perspectives. Chair: Dr. Henry Masur

  • Lecture 7. Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis vs. Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis, (CPA) & Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis. Dr. Darius Armstrong
  • Lecture 8. Diagnosing Aspergillosis in the Clinical Laboratory. Dr. Paul Verweij
  • Lecture 9. Radiologic Approaches to Diagnosing Aspergillosis and Other IFI. Dr. Dima Hammoud
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion

 0:30 -03:30 PM 

Comfort Break, cookies, Coffee & Connect

03:30 - 5.00 PM 

Session 4: Cryptococcosis, Mucormycosis, and Rare Mold Infections. Chair. Dr. Peter Williamson

  • Lecture 10. Cryptococcus and Cryptococcosis Antigen Tests and Multiplex PCRs. Dr. Cornelia Lass-Flörl
  • Lecture 11. Mucormycosis: Significance of Proper Specimen Processing for Direct Microscopic Evaluation Lecture. Dr. Arunaloke Chakrabarti
  • Lecture 12. Diagnostic Strategies for Rare Mold Infections—Fusarium, Scedosporium, and Lomentospora. Dr. Sharon Chen
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion

Industry Symposium 1 : Clinically Available Fungal Diagnostics. Chair: Dr. Amir Seyedmousavi

5.30 - 5.50 PM - IMMY Diagnostics. Dr. Tom Chiller

5.50 - 6.10 PM - MiraVista Diagnostics. Dr. Nicolas Barros

6.10 - 6.30 PM - Zepto Life Technology. Dr. Glen Hansen

7.0 - 8.30 PM - Welcome reception

Program – Day 2 (December 3, 2026)

 07:00 - 8.00 AM 

Registration

  08 - 8:30 AM 

Lecture 13. Detection of Pneumocystis pneumonia in HIV associated and non-HIV patients. Dr. Riina Richardson

08:30 - 10:00 AM 

Session 5: Candida and Candidiasis: Diagnostic Strategies, Emerging Challenges, and Surveillance. Chair. Dr. Paul Verweij

  • Lecture 14. Diagnostic Approaches for Candida and Invasive Candidiasis in ICU and Other Clinical Settings. TBD
  • Lecture 15. Testing for Candida auris colonization screening. Dr. Sudha Chaturvedi
  • Lecture 16. MALDI-TOF in Fungal Identification – Benefits and Limitations. TBD
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion

10:00 - 10:30 AM 

Comfort Break, cookies, Coffee & Connect

10:00 AM - 12.00 PM 

Session 6: Fungal immunodiagnostics, Antifungal Therapies, Antifungal Resistance. Dr. Christa Zerbe

  • Lecture 17. Antifungal Host Defenses and diagnostics — host stratification based on deficiency or genetic factors. Dr. Mihalis Lionakis
  • Lecture 18. Antifungals and their mechanisms of action: currently available and new antifungal drugs. Dr. Martin Hönigl
  • Lecture 19. Antifungal Susceptibility/Resistance Testing, Phenotypic and Genotypic Methods, EUCAST vs. CLSI. Dr. Nathan Wiederhold
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion

12:00 - 1:30 PM 

Lunch & Networking Break

Industry Exhibition Visits

Poster session


01:30 - 3.30 PM 

Session 7: Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, Antifungal Stewardship, and WHO Diagnostic Frameworks. Chair: Dr. Hooman Azmi

  • Lecture 20. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antifungals: Assessing Drug Levels. Dr. David Andes
  • Lecture 21. Antifungal Stewardship: Led by a diagnostic algorithm. TBD
  • Lecture 22. WHO Diagnostic and Treatment Landscapes. TBD
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion

 0:30 -03:30 PM 

Comfort Break, cookies, Coffee & Connect

03:30 - 5.00 PM 

Session 8: Diagnostic Stewardship, Guidelines, and Resource-Limited Approaches. Chair. Dr. Juan Banacloche

  • Lecture 23. Stewardship in Fungal Diagnostics—Pre-Test Probabilities and Selecting Appropriate Situations for Testing. Dr. Lewis White
  • Lecture 24. Best Practice Guidelines for Diagnosis of Fungal Infections. TBD
  • Lecture 25. Practical Diagnostic Approaches in Resource-Limited Settings. Dr. Rita Oladale
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion

Industry Symposium 2 : Pipeline Fungal Diagnostics (In development). Chair: Dr. Amir Seyedmousavi

5.30 - 5.50 PM - A Living Yeast Biosensor for Rapid Diagnosis of Aspergillus fumigatus. Dr. Virginia Cornish

5.50 - 6.10 PM - TBD

6.10 - 6.30 PM -TBD

Program – Day 3 (December 4, 2026)

 07:00 - 8.00 AM 

Registration

  08 - 8:30 AM 

Lecture 26. Diagnosis of histoplasmosis, blastomycosis and Coccidioides infection. TBD

08:30 - 10:00 AM 

Session 9: Advanced Diagnostics: Histopathology, Molecular Testing, and Artificial Intelligence. Chair. Dr. Lewis White

  • Lecture 27. Histopathology of Fungal Diseases. Dr. Henrik Jensen
  • Lecture 28. Fungal molecular testing, and how to use next-generation sequencing in diagnostic laboratories. Dr. Yang Shangxin
  • Lecture 29. Artificial intelligence in fungal diagnostics. TBD
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion

10:00 - 10:30 AM 

Comfort Break, cookies, Coffee & Connect

10:00 AM - 12.00 PM 

Session 10: Fungal Surveillance, Outbreak Investigations, and Environmental Health. Chair: Dr. Malcolm Richardson   

  • Lecture 30. Fungal Surveillance for Hospital and Environmental Health. TBD
  • Lecture 31. Role of diagnostic laboratories in outbreak investigation- Aspergillus flavus. Dr. Maiken Arendrup
  • Lecture 32. Hospital outbreaks with fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis. Dr. Jesús Guinea
  • Selected Abstract & Case Discussion

12:00 - 1:30 PM 

Lunch & Networking Break

Industry Exhibition Visits

Poster Session

Post Congress Workshop (A Hybrid Event)

Workshop: Diagnostic Mycology in Veterinary Practice & One Health

December 4, 2026, 1:00–5:30 PM

This Post-Congress workshop is organized in collaboration with the ISHAM-Veterinary Mycology & One Health Working Group (www.vetmyco.com).

What to expect: 

This half-day, lecture-based scientific and educational workshop is designed for PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, veterinarians, veterinary and medical mycologists/microbiologists, veterinary pathologists, and scientists from academia or industry who are working—or wish to work—in the field of Veterinary Mycology. The program aims to enhance participants’ knowledge and understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections in animals.

Workshop objectives: 

The workshop will provide a comprehensive and detail-oriented primer or refresher on current approaches, challenges, and solutions in the diagnosis and management of fungal diseases in animals. Topics will include antifungal susceptibility testing and resistance mechanisms. In addition, participants will gain insight into the epidemiology of mycoses in domestic and wild animals, as well as the importance of laboratory screening and infection prevention from a One Health perspective.

Workshop director: Dr. Amir Seyedmousavi

01:00 - 3:00 PM 

Workshop Session 1: Fungal Diseases in Animals - Clinical Spectrum, Emerging Threats, and One Health Implications

  • Lecture 1. Overview of fungal infections in animals. Classification of mycoses, relative importance, clinical manifestations. Dr. Amir Seyedmousavi
  • Lecture 2. Food Safety and Antifungals: Emerging Challenges and Stewardship Strategies. TBD
  • Lecture 3. Dermatophytoses & Melanized Fungi in animals. Dr. Jane Sykes
  • Lecture 4. Aspergillosis and Cryptococcosis in animals. Dr. Melissa Xavier

3:00 - 3:30 PM 

Comfort Break, cookies, Coffee & Connect

3:30 - 5.30 PM 

Workshop Session 2: Zoonotic and Endemic Fungal Infections in Animals - From Clinical Recognition to Laboratory Diagnosis    

  • Lecture 5. Feline sporotrichosis, an emerging zoonotic threat. Dr. Flavio Queiroz Telles
  • Lecture 6. Endemic Dimorphs, and Paracoccidioidomycosis ceti in animals. Dr. Eduardo Bagagli
  • Lecture 7. Fungal serodiagnostics in animals. Dr. Andrew Hanzlicek
  • Lecture 8. Diagnostic Mycology in Veterinary Practice (Laboratory identification of veterinary relevant yeasts and moulds). Hein Van Der Lee

5:30 - 6:00 PM 

Conclusion of Event