From Nov 26th to Nov 27th, 2022, “the 5th National Symposium on Virology for Young Scholars”, organized by the Institute of Infectious Diseases of Shenzhen Bay Laboratory (SZBL), and co-organized by the Virology Committee of Chinese Society for Microbiology, the policy-making teams of Chinese Society for Microbiology, and the School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, was held online. The senior and young experts and scholars in the virology field were invited to give special reports and jointly discuss the cutting-edge scientific problems in virology research to promote the development of China’s virology researches.
Yuan Zhenghong, Director of the Virology Committee of Chinese Society for Microbiology, and Academician Wu Yun-Dong, Executive Vice Director of SZBL, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Professor Cheng Gong, Chairman of the Committee of Young Researchers of the Virology Committee introduced the conference organization. More than 30,000 people watched the symposium online on the first day, and a total of 70,000 people watched the event in the two days.
The symposium focused on four subjects, namely virus genetic variation and molecular epidemiology, the interactive molecular mechanism of virus and host, virus infection, immunity and pathogenic mechanism, and virus diagnosis, drug and vaccine research and development, for in-depth discussions. More than 30 senior and young experts and scholars from Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen University, Wuhan University, Beijing Normal University, Guangzhou Medical University, the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Jilin University, Soochow University, Chongqing Medical University, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, and Shenzhen Bay Laboratory were invited, including Researcher Yuan Zhenghong from Shanghai Medical College Fudan University, Professor Wang Jianwei from Peking Union Medical College of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Professor Guo Deyin from Guangzhou Laboratory, Professor Shu Yuelong from the Institute of Medical Biology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Professor Zhao Jincun from Guangzhou Medical University, Professor Chen Mingzhou from Wuhan University, Researcher Zhou Xi from Wuhan Institute of Virology, CAS, Researcher Qin Chengfeng from Military Medicine Research Institute of Academy of Military Sciences, and Professor Cheng Gong from the School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, to report their latest research progresses.
Cloud Group Photo of Online Participants
In recent years, emerging and recurrent infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, Zika virus, and mpox, have posed severe threats to global public health safety. The symposium gathered domestic senior and young experts with major achievements in virology to jointly discuss the latest progresses and cutting-edge technology of virology, build the platforms for exchanges and cooperation, and provide new thoughts and methods for virology research and control so as to promote China’s development in virology research.
A prize presentation was made for outstanding academic achievements wall newspapers. Evaluated by seven experts, one first prize, two second prizes, and five third prizes were awarded to eight young researchers for their outstanding academic works.
Winners of Outstanding Academic Achievement Wall Newspapers (First on the left is the presenter)
(1st prize: Liu Haitao from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; 2nd prize: Wang Xin from the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen; Zhang Xiao from the College of Pharmacy of Chongqing Medical University; 3rd prize: Lin Yong from the Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education on Infectious Disease Molecular Biology of Chongqing Medical University; Lin Yuezhi from Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS; Ji Weiwei from Nanjing Agricultural University; Zhai Ke from the School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University; Yang Yongle from Zhejiang University)
Finally, Professor Cheng Gong made a summary. According to him, the reports are brilliant with highlights, fully reflecting the new progresses and achievements in virology, and a promising future of virology is expected.
