On March 25, 2026, the McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity (MI4) and the McGill Centre for Climate Change and Health (MC3H) came together to host their first joint networking event. This represented an important step toward building connections across two overlapping fields.
The event brought together a diverse group of researchers, clinicians, and experts working in climate change and infectious diseases. The goal was simple yet ambitious: to explore where these domains intersect and to identify shared priorities that could spark meaningful collaboration.
Throughout the session, participants engaged in open discussions and brainstorming, examining how climate-driven changes, such as shifting ecosystems, extreme weather events, and population displacement, are reshaping the landscape of infectious diseases. These conversations highlighted both the complexity of the challenges ahead and the opportunity to approach them through interdisciplinary collaboration.
More importantly, the event created space for new connections. By bringing these communities together, MI4 and MC3H aimed to lay the groundwork for future partnerships and innovative projects that bridge environmental and health research.
This first gathering marks the beginning of a collaborative effort to better understand and address the impacts of climate change on infectious diseases. With a shared commitment to improving population health in Canada and beyond, MI4 and the Centre for Climate Change and Health look forward to building on this momentum and developing initiatives that translate ideas into action.
