This article was written by Matteo Bason, Education Manager at Fondazione Penta ETS. It is taken from the Penta 2025 Annual Report.
The Penta Aperitivo webinars serve as a valuable platform for healthcare professionals and researchers interested in the latest advancements in infectious diseases affecting children and pregnant individuals. Covering a broad range of topics, these sessions provide insights into prevention and management, while also showcasing Penta’s initiatives, projects, and studies. Participants gain a unique opportunity to engage with the Penta ID Network and explore the benefits of being part of our global community.
In 2025, we continued to strengthen our global educational offering by hosting nine webinars that brought together leading international experts across the fields of paediatric infectious diseases, maternal health, and implementation science. On average, our 2025 webinars attracted around 120 registered participants and 50 attendees per session, and featured more than 25 speakers and panellists from across the globe, reflecting the strong interest and diverse expertise within and beyond the Penta ID network.
Across the year, the webinars explored a wide range of pressing topics. We examined strategies and interventions in implementation science, highlighted geographical insights into fungal pathogens affecting children in Asia, and discussed congenital infections with a focus on co‑infections and emerging therapeutic innovations. Several sessions centred on HIV research, including recent advances toward a cure, the transformation of HIV care in Africa driven by the IMPALA and Breather Plus trials, and new evidence on CMV pneumonia in infants living with HIV. Additional webinars showcased excellence across the Penta ID Network, featuring contributions from Penta BFA awardees, and explored future pathways towards the elimination of paediatric hepatitis B.
With each session, the Penta Aperitivo series confirmed to be a dynamic, interactive and collaborative space for knowledge exchange. As we look ahead to 2026, Penta always welcomes new proposals for upcoming webinars, inviting colleagues from within and beyond the Penta ID Network to foster scientific exchange, highlight diverse perspectives and ensure that important new data and experiences reach a global audience.