Table 1. Research needs and future directions.

Establish platforms for exchange of information on immunisation research and consensus building among decision makers, as well as relevant end user information, using modern communication technologies Continue research on the fundamentals of innate and adaptive immune responses in various populations, as well as immunological and molecular characteristics of microbes to better understand variation in pathogen and human populations’ responses to vaccines Expand operational research in improved delivery approaches and optimum delivery schedules considering potential interference effects and vaccination in humanitarian emergencies Conduct representative epidemiological, immunological, social and operational studies and investigations of vaccine impact to guide health economics analyses Develop improved diagnostic tools for conducting surveillance in low-income countries, as well as optimising aetiological identification and detection of changes in pathogen prevalence using advanced molecular techniques.