Abstract

The 2019 Viruses and Cells GRC, the premier conference in the field of virology, will cover seminal topics in virology ranging from viral entry and structure to virus-host interactions, viral replication, immune responses to viral infection, and antiviral systems. Importantly, this meeting will highlight a variety of viral systems, including DNA viruses, RNA viruses, and retroviruses. Instead of specializing according to virus type, this conference focuses on themes and covers systems ranging from bacteriophage to HIV and herpesviruses to viruses of C. elegans. The 2019 meeting will be held at Renaissance Tuscany, Il Ciocco, Lucca (Barga), Italy, from May 26-31, 2019. The conference is an interactive forum which brings together investigators at the forefront of the field, junior investigators launching their independent research careers, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. The conference strives to represent a collegial environment that supports the discussion of novel ideas and fosters new collaborations. Invited speakers will present novel and cutting edge findings in the field of virology. Topics will include: viral transmission and entry, replication mechanisms, regulation of gene expression, cell biology of viral infection, pathogenesis, host response and immunity, viral evasion strategies, antiviral systems, and viral evolution and discovery. Session chairs who are experts on the topic covered in each session will lead interactive, lively, and open discussions following each presentation. In addition to each of the invited speakers, short talks will be chosen from the abstracts that are submitted to the meeting at the time of registration. Abstracts that highlight the most exciting and new developments in the field of virology will be selected for short talks, and other abstracts will be selected as posters. The evening poster sessions are a prominent and important aspect of this conference providing yet another opportunity for participants to interact and discuss their research findings in an informal, friendly atmosphere