LA-GLOBAL: Long-Acting Gathering for Learning, Opportunity, Breakthroughs, Access and Leadership

LA-GLOBAL is coming to The Spine on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 October, a two-day conference run by CELT Global Health at the University of Liverpool. The full name is the Long-Acting Gathering for Learning, Opportunity, Breakthroughs, Access and Leadership, and it brings together researchers, policymakers, funders, clinicians and advocates to look at long-acting therapeutics for HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis C and a growing number of co-infections. The aim is to translate that science into equitable health outcomes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

The programme runs across five themes: manufacturing, drug delivery, biological performance, preclinical pharmacology and maternal and paediatric health. It's accompanied by LA-LINK, a new seminar and workshop series. The plenary speakers are Professor Charles Flexner from Johns Hopkins University and Dr Paul L Domanico, PhD from the Clinton Health Access Initiative. Keynote speakers include Professor Ryan Donnelly (Queen's University Belfast), Professor René Holm (University of Southern Denmark), Professor Elaine Abrams (Columbia University), Dr Alison Cave (MHRA) and Professor Pieter Annaert (KU Leuven).

CELT Global Health is led by Professors Andrew Owen and Steve Rannard, and draws on the university's expertise in pharmacology and materials chemistry. It works with international partners to change the global landscape of drug administration. The centre was known as the Centre of Excellence for Long-acting Therapeutics before renaming in 2025 to better reflect its focus on health equity.

The registration fee covers full access to all conference sessions, lunches and refreshments each day, and a conference dinner on 29 October. There are discounted rates for Early Career Researchers and LMIC attendees.