Foundation of the Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes and Meeting Report of Its Inaugural Symposium

Latka, Agnieszka [ Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium] Aertsen, Abram [ Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium] Boeckaerts, Dimitri [ Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium] Blasdel, Bob [Vésale Bioscience, Vésale Pharmaceutica, 5310 Noville-sur-Mehaigne, Belgium] Ceyssens, Pieter-Jan [ Division of Human Bacterial Diseases, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium] Garcia-Pino, Abel [ Cellular and Molecular Microbiology, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus La Plaine, 1050 Brussels, Belgium] Gillis, Annika [UCL] Lavigne, Rob [ Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium] Lima-Mendez, Gipsi [Biology of Microorganisms Research Unit (URBM), Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), Université de Namur ASBL, 5000 Namur, Belgium] Matthijnssens, Jelle [ Laboratory of Viral Metagenomics, Rega Institute, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium] Onsea, Jolien [ Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium] Peeters, Eveline [ Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium] Pirnay, Jean-Paul [ Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, 1120 Brussels, Belgium] Thiry, Damien [ Veterinary Bacteriology, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium] Vandenheuvel, Dieter [ Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium] Van Mechelen, Els [Research Centre Health & Water Technology, University of Applied Sciences, 9000 Gent, Belgium] Venneman, Jolien [Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium] Verbeken, Gilbert [Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, 1120 Brussels, Belgium] Wagemans, Jeroen [Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium] Briers, Yves [ Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium] et al.[show all]

The Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes (BSVoM) was founded on 9 June 2022 to capture and enhance the collaborative spirit among the expanding community of microbial virus researchers in Belgium. The sixteen founders are affiliated to fourteen different research entities across academia, industry and government. Its inaugural symposium was held on 23 September 2022 in the Thermotechnical Institute at KU Leuven. The meeting program covered three thematic sessions launched by international keynote speakers: (1) virus–host interactions, (2) viral ecology, evolution and diversity and (3) present and future applications. During the one-day symposium, four invited keynote lectures, ten selected talks and eight student pitches were given along with 41 presented posters. The meeting hosted 155 participants from twelve countries.