Vaccine Technology X 

20 years accelerating vaccine innovation

Photo by Nick Karvounis

April 12-17, 2026
Porto, Portugal

About This Conference

Join us at 2026’s premier event, where science, technology, and global collaboration converge to shape the future of vaccine innovation. This transformative conference will bring together leaders in academia, industry, government and not-for-profit global health organizations to explore groundbreaking advancements and their real-world applications. From next-generation platforms and nucleic acid-based vaccines to cutting-edge bioprocessing breakthroughs, AI integration, and sustainable practices, attendees will gain unparalleled insights into how the industry is rapidly evolving to meet global health challenges.

Conference Organization

2026 Conference Chairs

Steering Committee

Barry C. Buckland, NIIMBL, USA
Paula Marques Alves, iBET, Portugal
John G. Aunins, Janis Biologics, USA
Manon M. Cox, Next Wave Bio, USA
Francesc Godia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain
Amine Kamen, McGill University, Canada
Linda Lua, The University of Queensland, Australia
Charles Jean Lutsch, Sanofi Pasteur, France
Tarit K. Mukhopadhyay, Merck & Co., Inc, USA|
Laura A. Palomares, Instituto De Biotecnologia (UNAM), Mexico
Tara Tagmyer, PATH, USA

Conference Sessions

Next Gen platforms and Novel technologies: Accelerating Vaccine Innovation for the Future

This session dives into the latest vaccine platforms and cutting-edge technologies, from vector-based vaccines to modular antigen display approaches. By embracing next-generation technologies, such as nanoparticle vaccines and novel expression systems, the industry is accelerating innovation to meet global vaccine challenges faster and more efficiently than ever before.

Bioprocessing Breakthroughs, AI Integration, and Systems Biology: Accelerating Vaccine Innovation in Manufacturing

This session explores how breakthroughs in bioprocessing technologies, artificial intelligence, regulatory sciences, protein (antigen) design, and computational biology are transforming vaccine development and manufacturing. Key discussions will highlight predictive analytics, high-throughput screening, and computational modeling in enhancing manufacturability, process robustness, and cost efficiency. The session will also showcase real-world applications demonstrating how these advancements are accelerating development timelines, improving scalability, and shaping next-generation vaccine production. By integrating these innovations, the field is advancing toward more automated, data-driven, and scalable solutions, ensuring vaccines are developed and produced with greater efficiency, precision, and accessibility.

Vaccine analytical tools and PAT: Accelerating Vaccine Innovation through Precision

Focusing on the role of advanced analytical tools and Process Analytical Technology (PAT), tools that are essential for accelerating the innovation pipeline and improving the reliability of vaccine manufacturing, this session covers real-time monitoring techniques, data-driven quality control, and regulatory innovations that ensure vaccines are safe, effective, and produced at scale.

Lessons from Animal Health: Accelerating Vaccine Innovation for Human Health

This session demonstrates how lessons from animal vaccine development can accelerate innovation in human health. By studying immune response mechanisms, viral evolution, and deployment strategies in animal health, participants gain insights into faster and more effective vaccine development for human diseases.

Formulation, Delivery, Device: Accelerating Vaccine Innovation in Administration and Accessibility

This session explores how novel formulations, delivery methods, and devices are enhancing the speed, efficiency, and accessibility of vaccines. From advanced stabilizers to cutting-edge delivery systems like microneedles and needle-free injectors, these innovations are crucial to accelerating the development and distribution of effective vaccines globally.

Regional Development and Manufacturing Capacity Building: Accelerating Vaccine Innovation for Global Equity

This session focuses on the critical role of building regional development and manufacturing capacity to accelerate vaccine innovation. Topics will highlight successes from LMIC manufacturers in conducting technology transfer, building local infrastructure to fill supply gaps, and novel regulatory strategies to ensure that vaccine production is scalable, sustainable, and accessible to all regions, particularly low- and middle-income countries.

Nucleic Acid based vaccines: Accelerating Vaccine Innovation with Next Generation Genetic Platforms

This session will explore the continued evolution of nucleic acid-based vaccines, highlighting the unmatched flexibility and speed offered by nucleic acid-based platforms. Attendees will gain insights into cutting-edge advancements and innovations that have emerged in the post-COVID era. The session will also cover how these technologies are positioned to continue evolving vaccine development, enabling rapid responses to emerging infectious diseases and pandemics. From personalized vaccines to scalable platforms, the future of immunization is unfolding faster than ever, and this session will delve into what lies ahead for accelerating vaccine innovation with nucleic acid-based platforms.

Environmental sustainability: Accelerating Vaccine Innovation with Green Practices

This session explores how innovations in environmental sustainability are complementing the acceleration of vaccine innovation. Experts will discuss the use of energy-efficient processes, sustainable material sourcing, and waste reduction to minimize the environmental impact of vaccine manufacturing, all while maintaining the speed and scalability of production.

Call for Abstracts

Abstracts (one page maximum) whose subject area is in the Technical Topics listed above are invited.  The abstract should include specific results and conclusions to allow a scientific assessment of the proposed oral presentation.

Please choose the most relevant session topic as noted in the sessions listed above for which you are submitted your oral or poster abstract.

Abstracts must be submitted electronically here and prepared according to this template: docx or doc.

Oral abstract submission deadline: September 30, 2025

Poster abstract submission deadline: September 30, 2025

• To ensure receipt of mailings regarding your submission, please add ‘do_not_reply@linklings.com‘ to your address book.
  
• Abstracts of all presentations will be made available to conference participants prior to the start of the conference.

Awards will be presented to the top student posters.

Poster Guidelines

The best posters display a succinct statement of major conclusions at the beginning, followed by supporting text in later segments and a brief summary at the end. Click here for instructions and more information.

Poster Size: 1.0 Meter wide and 1.5 meters in Length (Portrait style)

Program Agenda

Venue Information

Porto, Portugal

Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, is a World Heritage city and the commercial and industrial center for northern Portugal.  It is world-famous for its port wine but also for a heritage that combines ancient churches, monuments, and stately bridges with modern architecture. 

It was in Porto and the northern regions that Portugal was founded in the 12^th century and the Portuguese became a people and a nation.

Bursting with charm and beautiful scenery, Porto lies along Portugal’s northwestern coastline, making it a picture-perfect destination.  In the medieval Ribeira (riverside) district, narrow cobbled streets wind past merchants’ houses and cafes. São Francisco Church is known for its lavish baroque interior with ornate gilded carvings. The palatial 19th-century Palácio de Bolsa, formerly a stock market, was built to impress potential European investors. 

The city features a number of museums and architectural highlights, as well as unique shops and restaurants, nightlife, and family-friendly adventures.  Located within a few minutes’ walk of the Hilton Porto-Gaia hotel is a new attraction in the area, WoW, or World of Wine.  Opened in 2020, WoW pays homage to the region and shines a light on the most important Portuguese industries and traditions.  It is an entire cultural district that includes seven museums, twelve restaurants, and a wine school. The Wine Experience is interactive and ends with a wine tasting.  Also, quite popular is the chocolate museum.

• WOW Home
• WOW Experiences [PDF]

The region is crossed by the River Douro which enters Portugal between the ravines and mountains of the interior to flow through the entire World Heritage landscape where the Port and Douro wines are produced.  It is from here that the wine is sent to the wine caves at Vila Nova de Gaia, on the south bank of the Douro, where the Hilton Porto-Gaia hotel is located. One of the most beautiful views of the old city of Porto with its many seafood restaurants lining the banks of the Douro is from the cafes lining the river in Gaia…

Hilton Porto-Gaia Hotel

Address: R. de Serpa Pinto 124, 4400-307 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Phone: +351 22 244 9200

The Hilton Porto-Gaia hotel has a stunning and breathtaking location facing Porto UNESCO Heritage and the Douro River. ​ It is a unique and contemporary hotel with 194 generous and spacious rooms with excellent Wi-Fi. The hotel has a pool, a spa and a fitness center. The chef oversees a menu that is both familiar as well as healthy and trendy.  The hotel features an open concept restaurant and bar, and an exclusive panoramic bar on the top level with views across the Douro.  

Transportation

Visitors to Porto can arrive via Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport. It is about 8 miles outside the city center and the airport offers service to destinations throughout Europe, as well as direct access to a number of public transportation options into Porto. The reliable, extensive network includes buses, trams, and light-rail options to shuttle passengers to the city’s major points of interest.  Taxis are also readily available to bring conference participants to the Hilton Gaia Hotel/

Those who fly into Lisbon can continue their journey to Porto by high speed train. 

Recent Article

36 Hours in Porto (NY Times)

Previous Conferences

Vaccine Technology I (2006)
Barry C. Buckland, John G. Aunins, Emilio A. Emini, and Jerald C. Sadoff 
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Vaccine Technology II (2008)
Barry C. Buckland, John G. Aunins, Paula Marques Alves, and Kathrin Jansen
Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal

Vaccine Technology III (2010)
Barry C. Buckland, John G. Aunins, Paula Marques Alves, and Kathrin Jansen
Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

Vaccine Technology IV (2012)
Barry C. Buckland, John G. Aunins, Paula Marques Alves, and Kathrin Jansen
Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal

Vaccine Technology V (2014)
Laura Palomares, Manon Cox, John Aunins and Kathrin Jansen
Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Vaccine Technology VI (2016)
Laura Palomares, Tarit Mukhopadhyay, Manon Cox and Nathalie Garçon
Albufeira, Portugal

Vaccine Technology VII (2018)
Amine Kamen, Tarit Mukhopadhyay, Charles Lutsch, Nathalie Garçon
Mont Tremblant, Canada

Vaccine Technology VIII (2022)
Tarit Mukhopadhyay, Charles Lutsch, Linda Lua, Francesc Godia, 
Sitges, Spain

Vaccine Technology IX (2024)
Charles Lutsch, Linda Lua, Francesc Godia, Tara Tagmyer
Los Cabos, Mexico

General Information about ECI

Engineering Conferences International (ECI) is a not-for-profit, global engineering conferences program, originally established in 1962 that provides opportunities for the exploration of problems and issues of concern to engineers and scientists from many disciplines.

The format of the conference provides morning and late afternoon or evening sessions in which major presentations are made. Poster sessions will be scheduled for evening discussion as well. Available time is included during the afternoons for ad hoc meetings, informal discussions, and/or recreation. This format is designed to enhance rapport among participants and promote dialogue on the development of the meeting. We believe the conferences have been instrumental in generating ideas and disseminating information to a greater extent than is possible through more conventional forums.

All participants are expected both to attend the entire conference and to contribute actively to the discussions. The recording/photographing of lectures and presentations is forbidden. As ECI conferences take place in an informal atmosphere, casual clothing is the usual attire.

Smoking is prohibited at ECI conferences and conference functions.