Updating the Minimum Quality Threshold in Preclinical Sepsis Studies (MQTiPSS) Expert Consensus Guidelines

Congress duration: 26-27 March 2026
Meeting location: Palais Eschenbach, Eschenbachgasse 11, 1010 Wien

Main objective: revising the MQTiPSS expert consensus guidelines to match the new research challenges/needs

Organizational layout: Six Concept-based Working Groups (WG)
1) Study Design Endpoints (chair: B. Zingarelli, USA)
2) Humane Modeling Endpoints (chair: J. Marshall, Canada)
3) Infection Type Endpoints (chair R. Salomao, Brazil)
4) Organ Injury/Dysfunction Endpoints (chair: D. Remick, USA)
5) Critical fluid resuscitation endpoints (chair: M. Huber-Lang, Germany)
6) Antibiotic and Adjunctive Therapy Endpoints (chair: J. Hellman, USA)

8:15-8:45 Registration

Day 1 (Thursday, 26 March)

Introduction (Festsaal/main hall) – Free Entry
8:45 Welcome (Johannes Grillari)
8:50 Main objectives (Marcin Osuchowski)

Pre-Clinical Modeling in Sepsis: where are we in 2026? (Festsaal/Main hall) – Free Entry
Moderator: Marcin Osuchowski
Session format: 15 min talk + 10 min discussion
09:00 Mervyn Singer: Sepsis-3 – how to align pre-clinical modeling to a clinical definition?
09:25 Craig Coopersmith: Sepsis research: current reality and future directions
09:50 Jean-Marc Cavaillon: Historical perspective of sepsis modeling – what worked, what failed.
10:15 Philip Efron: Sky is the limit – How far can we improve the modeling?

10:40-11:10 Coffee Break (30 min)

MQTiPSS after 7 years: perception is reality (Festsaal/main hall)– Free Entry
11:10 Self-introduction of participants (25 min)
11:35 Marcin Osuchowski: MQTiPSS status after 7 years (20 min talk + 20 min discussion)

12:15-13:15 Lunch Break (60 min)

> The Begin of Closed Sessions<

Updating the Guidelines – presenting pre-meeting input for individual Working Groups (Exner hall)
Session format: 10 min talk + 10 min discussion & pre-selection
13:15 WG-1: Study Design Endpoints
13:35 WG-2: Humane Modeling Endpoints
13:55 WG-3: Infection Types Endpoints
14:15 WG-4: Organ Dysfunction Endpoints
14:35 WG-5: Fluid Resuscitation Endpoints
14:55 WG-6: Antimicrobial Therapy Endpoints

15:15-15:30 Grab-a-Coffee Break (15 min)

Drafting updated MQTiPSS recommendations/considerations for individual WGs (designated rooms)
15:30-17:30 Round-table discussion for each WG separately (120 min)

*Gala Dinner with museum tour (~18:00-22:00) Kunsthistorisches Museum, Maria-Theresien-Platz*

Day 2 (Friday, 27 March)

Opening Remarks (Exner hall)
8:30 (Marcin Osuchowski)

WG Discussion: proposed updates & expansion (Exner hall)
Session format: 15 min talk + 30 min discussion/voting round
08:45 WG-1: Study Design Endpoints
09:30 WG-2: Humane Modeling Endpoints

10:15-10:45 Coffee Break (30 min)

10:45 WG-3: Infection Types Endpoints
11:30 WG-4: Organ Dysfunction Endpoints

12:15-13:15 Lunch Break (60 min)

13:15 WG-5: Fluid Resuscitation Endpoints
14:00 WG-6: Antimicrobial Therapy Endpoints

14:45-15:15 Coffee Break (30 min)

Updated MQTiPSS: next steps (Exner hall)
Moderator: Marcin Osuchowski
Session format: 30 min discussion per topic
15:15 Publication format: options to consider
15:45 How to wisely disseminate and/or “light-enforce”?
16:15 Open topics/suggestions

Closing remarks (Exner hall)

*Organ Concert by Prof. Roman Hauser (18:00-19:00pm), Jesuit church, Ignaz-Seipel-Platz 1* Free evening