Prof. Kerem, born and educated in Jerusalem, graduated from the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, and completed his pediatric residency in Jerusalem, following by a fellowship in pediatric respiratory diseases at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. From 2011 to 2020 he acted as the Chairman of Pediatrics at the Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem. In 2005, with a mission of improving the care of children with chronic diseases and promoting their medical and ethical right’s aspects, Prof. Kerem funded the Center for Children with Chronic Diseases. The center integrates all the services needed for the treatment of chronically ill children and is based on a unique, holistic approach for both the affected child and his family. The center has grown to be a well-known role-model for training colleague health providers and staff members. Prof. Kerem has published many papers in this field and is known for his advocacy for children in need. Prof. Kerem’s interest is in the field of cystic fibrosis (CF). He served as a principal investigator in many national and international multi-center clinical trials and is an author of key publications in the field. His interest in Cystic Fibrosis spans all aspects of the condition and recently he is focusing on the clinical aspects of drug development to cure CF. Being well-known in his field, Prof. Kerem served as a Board member of The European CF Society, being in charge of the development of the ECFS Patient Registry, which has allowed investigators to survey and compare aspects of cystic fibrosis and its treatment, thereby providing data for multicenter epidemiological and clinical research trials. Prof. Kerem has a record of building bridges between Israelis and Palestinians. This includes training programs for Palestinian residents and fellows, and organizing collaborative seminars and workshops. Prof. Kerem accomplished a project to build a CF-centre in Gaza. For his humanitarian activities and his contribution to pediatircs Prof. Kerem received the prestigious Ordine Della Stella Della Solidarieta Italiana Award. In 2010 he received the “Shalem” award bestowed by the Israeli National Foundation for the development of services for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In 2014, the ECFS Award was presented to Prof. Kerem, acknowledging his substantial and remarkable contribution to cystic fibrosis research. In 2016 he received Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, UK. In 2023 he received the life achievement award from the Israel Society of Clinical Pediatrics.

President 2023/24 European Respiratory Society Professor in Paediatrics, Hannover Medical School (MHH) Director, Department of Paediatrics, Evangelischen Krankenhauses Düsseldorf , Germany Long-standing member of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), currently President of the ERS 2023/2024. Director of the Children’s Hospital at the Evangelical Hospital in Düsseldorf, special interest in paediatric allergy including severe asthma; diagnosis and treatment of food allergy in children. Longstanding interest in early diagnosis of allergy and respiratory diseases and their origins, respiratory physiology and lung function testing. Senior clinical advisor of the GINI study (German Infant Nutrition Intervention); study center for phase 3 clinical trials in paediatric allergy and respiratory diseases. Chair of the Asthma Working Group of the German speaking Society for Pediatric Pneumology (GPP), board member of the West German Working Group for Pediatric Pneumology and Allergology (WAPPA), board member of the Deutsche Atemwegsliga (DAL) and Deutsche Lungenstiftung (DLS). Member of the editorial board of various specialist journals. 1988 - 2008 Medical training (assistant physician, senior physician) at Hannover Medical School: further training in Paediatrics, specialization in Neonatology, additional qualifications in Allergology and Paediatric Respiratory Medicine including the European Diploma. Research fellowship at Great Ormond Street Hospital,London, UK and Institute of Child Health,with Prof.Janet Stocks

Heather Zar is Professor & Chair, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health and Director of the SA-MRC Unit on Child & Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town. A global expert in childhood respiratory diseases, she’s built a strong clinical translational research program in some of the most deprived communities, with a strong focus on childhood pneumonia. She established an African birth cohort enabling study of the epidemiology, determinants and long term impact of early life RSV and has participated in several studies of RSV prevention in infants. She chaired the WHO Technical Advisory committee on new RSV preventive interventions. She is past-President of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies, of the Pan African Thoracic Society, and serves as an advisor to WHO, UNICEF and the Gates Foundation. She received the World Lung Health award from the American Thoracic Society, the L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Laureate for Africa and Arabia, the SA-MRC Platinum medal for contributions over a lifetime and the European Respiratory Society Lifetime Achievement Award. She is passionate about reducing global health inequities and ensuring access to effective interventions for all children.