Dear colleagues and esteemed members of the Transplant Infectious Diseases Section,

It is an honour to address you today as the president of TID for the 2025–2027 term. I am deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in me, and it is a privilege to serve this distinguished community of professionals.

Before anything else, I would like to express my deep appreciation for our past presidents, Dr. John Baddley - Clinical Director of the Johns Hopkins Division of Infectious Diseases and Dr. Tan Ban Hock - Director of Transplant ID of the Singapore General Hospital. Dr. Baddley will continue his work with the TID section in the capacity of Past-President on the executive committee, where his guidance will be of invaluable use. Dr. Ban Hock will also continue to work with TID and to serve as an important reference point for our work in Asia.

Looking forward, in the coming weeks, I will share with you a comprehensive two-year plan outlining our new objectives and initiatives. Today, however, I wish to emphasize my commitment to continuing the important work of my predecessors while also guiding our section toward innovation and renewal. Transplant infectious diseases represent a field of critical and growing importance within medicine. The challenges we face are complex and global in scope, and the role of this section in addressing them is more vital than ever.

A central priority of my presidency will be to strengthen our efforts in education and capacity-building. We must prepare the next generation of specialists by expanding our educational activities—through webinars, research opportunities, and recognition of young professionals’ contributions via awards and other initiatives. By investing in the future, we ensure that our field remains dynamic, innovative, and responsive to emerging challenges; but this is only possible with the collaboration of those who have built our history thus far.

Equally important is our commitment to broadening and diversifying our membership. TID must continue to reflect the international nature of the transplant community. We aim to expand representation from all regions of the world and to ensure that our Board reflects that diversity. As someone who comes from the Global South myself, I bring a distinct perspective to this role, and I believe strongly in the value of incorporating a wide range of experiences and voices into our collective work.

I hope that you share my enthusiasm for the years ahead. I warmly invite you to contribute your ideas and suggestions as we refine our priorities and identify new directions for the section. Together, we can ensure that TID continues to grow, to innovate, and to serve as a global leader in the field of transplant infectious diseases.

Thank you once again for the privilege of serving as your president. I look forward to working alongside all of you in the coming term.

Sincerely,

Dr. Wanessa Trindade Clemente
TID President