Dr Emma Birnie, MD, PhD, DTM&H, Amsterdam, the Netherlands is Resident in Internal Medicine and Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases of the Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands. Her research aims to reduce the global melioidosis burden through improved awareness, diagnostics, and innovative treatment and prevention strategies. Shereceived her medical training at the University of Amsterdam (with Honors) with additional postgraduate courses at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (with Merit). Despite her young age, Birnie has an impressive track record, publishing in among others Lancet Infectious Diseases, JAMA and Emerging Infectious Diseases. She obtained significant grants, including the prestigious VENI from the NOW Talent Programme and the ESCMID Young Research Grant.