The opening ceremony of the 10th International Symposium on Immunobiologicals (ISI), held this Tuesday (May 6) at Bio-Manguinhos, marked the beginning of one of the leading international meetings in the field of immunobiologicals and also served as a symbolic celebration of the 50th anniversary of Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz. The event brought together researchers, managers, representatives of international organizations, public authorities, and institutional partners in a packed auditorium, with broad in-person participation and online streaming.
The opening panel featured Fiocruz President Mário Moreira, Bio-Manguinhos Director Rosane Cuber, deputy directors of the unit, representatives from the Fiocruz Presidency, regulatory authorities such as Anvisa, as well as representatives from government agencies and partner institutions. Former Bio-Manguinhos directors and former Fiocruz presidents also participated in the ceremony, which was marked by the celebration of institutional memory and reflections on the future challenges of public health.
Five decades of strategic action in public health
In her opening remarks, Rosane Cuber highlighted Bio-Manguinhos’ trajectory over five decades dedicated to science, innovation, and strengthening Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS). According to the director, the institution has navigated different health, economic, and political crises while maintaining its commitment to public health and the national production of strategic immunobiologicals for the country.
Rosane emphasized that the unit’s 50th anniversary represents not only a historical celebration, but also a moment to look toward the future. Among the challenges identified, she highlighted the need to expand investments in innovation, new technological platforms, gene therapies, and the strengthening of national health sovereignty.
The ceremony also featured the screening of a commemorative institutional video retracing major milestones in the unit’s history, from its creation to its consolidation as a national and international reference in the production of vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, and diagnostic kits.
Tributes mark historic celebration
The program included several moments of tribute and institutional recognition. One of the highlights was the remembrance of researcher Marco Krieger, former Vice President of Fiocruz, who recently passed away. During the ceremony, a proposal to name a future institutional building in his honor was mentioned, recognizing his contribution to science and Brazilian public health.
Another symbolic moment was the launch of the commemorative stamp celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bio-Manguinhos, developed in partnership with the Brazilian Postal Service (Correios). Representing the institution, Bruno Vinícius de Paiva highlighted the role of Correios in preserving national memory and stated that initiatives such as personalized stamps help recognize institutions that directly impact Brazilian society.
The ceremony also honored former Bio-Manguinhos directors, who were invited to the stage to receive commemorative plaques in recognition of their contributions to the consolidation and expansion of the institution over recent decades. Speaking on behalf of the honorees, Maurício Zuma delivered a speech emphasizing the institution’s collective trajectory and the strategic role played by Bio-Manguinhos in strengthening the SUS and national production capacity.
Former Fiocruz presidents were also honored, reinforcing the historical and institutional character of the celebration.
Science, access, and international cooperation at the center of the debate
One of the highlights of the symposium’s scientific opening was the participation of researcher Akira Homma, recognized as one of the central figures in the history of Bio-Manguinhos since its founding in 1976.
At 87 years old, Homma was welcomed with applause by the audience and emphasized, in his remarks, the importance of research, technological development, and national productive capacity to ensure equitable access to healthcare. The researcher stressed that strengthening science and innovation must be associated with expanding public access to immunobiologicals and strategic health technologies.
Akira Homma also thanked national and international partners for their collaboration and reinforced the importance of scientific cooperation in addressing global health challenges.
The ceremony also featured messages from representatives of international organizations, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Ileana Fleitas Estevez attended in person, while Jarbas Barbosa participated remotely, both reinforcing the importance of regional cooperation to strengthen health systems and local production capacity.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus participated through a video message highlighting Fiocruz’s recent designation as a Regional Training Center for Biomanufacturing in the Americas. The initiative is part of WHO’s Global Biomanufacturing Workforce Training Hub, created to strengthen professional training and expand global production capacity for strategic health supplies. In his remarks, Tedros stated that Fiocruz’s designation will help strengthen competencies in manufacturing, quality, regulatory science, clinical development, and biomanufacturing scale-up across the region.
The WHO Director-General also emphasized that immunobiologicals have transformed disease prevention and healthcare but warned that inequalities in access to these products persist among countries and regions. According to him, overcoming these gaps requires integrated systems, strengthened production capacity, and qualified, resilient, and sustainable workforces.
ISI reinforces its role as a global health articulation platform
By bringing together representatives from academia, industry, multilateral organizations, and the public sector, the ISI opening ceremony reinforced the symposium’s role as an international platform for dialogue on strategic public health issues, including innovation, access, local production, and preparedness for future health emergencies.
Integrated into the celebrations of Bio-Manguinhos’ 50th anniversary, the ceremony highlighted the institution’s trajectory as a national reference in immunobiological production and emphasized the importance of science, international cooperation, and technological sovereignty in addressing current and future public health challenges.
Text: Marcela Dobarro
Images: André Rocha
