The One Health Researcher Lab Summer School offers a unique, dual-track program that combines scientific training with personal and professional development. Each day will be structured in two complementary components: the educational track will focus on the scientific and public health dimensions of infectious disease emergence and response, while the mentoring track will address the human side of academic life, offering tools to build resilience, foster collaboration, and thrive during the PhD journey and beyond.

Educational track – from the emergence of a new infectious threat to public health decision making

The scientific sessions of the One Health Researcher Lab Summer School will guide participants through a structured exploration of how infectious diseases emerge, spread, and are addressed through research, healthcare, and policy-making.

The programme begins by examining the broader systemic forces, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and intensive land use, that drive the emergence of infectious threats. The sessions then will examine the mechanisms underlying cross-species transmission, highlighting the crucial role of surveillance and early detection in preventing infectious disease outbreaks. As the week progresses, participants will also explore the use of epidemiological models to simulate the dynamics of infectious disease transmission and evaluate the impact of public health interventions, while also engaging with recent advances in scientific innovation, including the development of new vaccines and treatments. The program concludes with a focus on the translation of scientific evidence into policy and global health action.

Through lectures, panel discussions, and hands-on sessions with leading experts, this track offers participants a rare opportunity to gain both a theoretical foundation and a practical lens on the response to emerging infectious disease threats, anchored in the One Health approach.

Mentoring Track – Building skills and support for thriving in Academia

While scientific knowledge is crucial, thriving in academia also requires emotional balance, practical skills, and a supportive network. The resilience sessions are designed to create space for reflection, skill-building, and peer collaboration, offering participants the tools to sustain both personal well-being and professional ambition.

The program of the mentoring track includes sessions about the following topics:

• mental well-being in academia: dedicated workshops on stress management, work-life balance, and coping with pressure and uncertainty;
• soft skills for academic success: training in communication, teamwork, project planning, and managing academic relationships.

Alongside workshops and group activities, the mentoring track will include social events to enhance networking. In particular, the program will begin with a welcome aperitif on Monday, September 22nd, and will feature a social dinner on Thursday, September 25th. Participants will also take part in a group excursion around Lake Como, offering a memorable opportunity to connect in a relaxed setting.

PhD One Health Prize

Throughout the week, participants will take part in a hands-on activity focused on learning how to develop a scientific project proposal. After an initial session introducing the essential elements of successful grant writing, participants will be divided into small groups and will work on drafting a proposal aligned with their shared research interests. With support from mentors and faculty, each group will refine its project throughout the week. On the final day, the projects will be presented, and the most compelling proposal, selected by the organizing committee and faculty, will be awarded the PhD One Health Prize.

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