The Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center (SCIRC) is proud to highlight the participation of Philip A. Efron, MD, FACS, FCCM, Director of SCIRC and Cracchiolo Family Professor of Surgery, as an invited expert speaker at the 12th Wiggers-Bernard Conference Initiative, held March 26–28, 2026, in Vienna, Austria.
This prestigious international meeting convenes leading investigators in translational sepsis research to advance global consensus on best practices in pre-clinical modeling. The 2026 conference focuses specifically on updating the widely used Minimum Quality Threshold in Pre-Clinical Sepsis Studies (MQTiPSS) guidelines to reflect emerging technologies and methodological standards.
Advancing the Future of Pre-Clinical Sepsis Modeling
Pre-Clinical Modeling in Sepsis: Where Are We in 2026?
In his talk,“Sky is the Limit – How Far Can We Improve the Modeling?”, Dr. Efron addressed the evolving landscape of experimental sepsis research, emphasizing opportunities to improve model rigor, translational relevance, and reproducibility. His presentation explored how advances in omics-driven phenotyping, large-animal and humanized models, microphysiological systems, and artificial intelligence are reshaping how investigators study the complex immune dysregulation underlying sepsis.
The Wiggers-Bernard Initiative serves as a collaborative platform bringing together more than 30 experts from multiple continents to refine standards for study design, reporting transparency, and ethical conduct in animal research. The updated consensus recommendations generated at the conference are expected to strengthen scientific reproducibility and accelerate translation of laboratory discoveries into improved patient outcomes.