PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) is the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the global burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health. Through its annual scientific meeting ASTMH provides a unique platform to build global tropical medicine/global health research capacity for national and international scientists including those who work on pandemic threats through increased dissemination of the latest tropical medicine research, by providing an open and safe scientific environment for cross-fertilization of ideas, through building collaborations among labs, by incubating new ideas, and fostering career development for students and trainees. During the meeting, leaders in the field offer practical insights and strategic vision. More than 4,000 attendees from 110+ countries bring global perspectives. Four days of concurrent sessions, posters, and an exhibit hall offer opportunities for collaboration and networking. Attendees are tropical medicine research scientists from academia, government, foundations, nonprofits and the private sector who work to reduce the burden of tropical diseases and improve global public health. The meeting is led by ASTMH members including an elected Scientific Program Chair, an appointed Associate Chair, 135 expert appointed ASTMH members serving on subject matter committees that review symposia and abstract submissions and award and honors applications, and ASTMH Subgroup leadership to craft symposia in their area of interest and expertise. Priority is given to symposia proposal that include original data and/or concepts that promote broad debate and synthesis presented by experts in the field as well as to speaker panels that reflect ASTMH members in diversity and content through gender, institutional background and country of origin.