Program Overview
Program
Schedule Overview
Day 1 – Wednesday, 11 March 2026
09:00 – 18:30 (Check-in open from 08:00)
Day 2 – Thursday, 12 March 2026
09:00 – 18:30 (followed by sponsor workshop and conference dinner)
Day 3 – Friday, 13 March 2026
09:00 – 18:00 (ending with award ceremonies)
Abridged Program
Please note that the following schedule is subject to change.
| Wednesday, 11 March 2026 8:00 am – 6:30 pm CET |
Thursday, 12 March 2026 9:00 am – 6:30 pm CET |
Friday, 13 March 2026 9:00 am – 5:30 pm CET |
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| Morning | Opening Ceremony (Check-in from 8:00 am CET) |
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| S1. General Topics in Virology (Part 1) | S4. Structure and Mechanisms of Virus Replication (Part 1) | S5. Virus-Host Interactions (Part 3) |
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| Coffee Break | Coffee Break | Coffee Break & Poster Session B | |
| S1. General Topics in Virology (Part 2) + S3. Antiviral Innate Immunity | S4. Structure and Mechanisms of Virus Replication (Part 2) | S5. Virus-Host Interactions (Part 4) |
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| Lunch Break | Group Photo, Lunch Break & Poster Session A | Lunch Break & Poster Session B | |
| Afternoon | S2. Antiviral Therapeutics, Vaccines, and Host Defenses (Part 1) |
S5. Virus-Host Interactions (Part 1) | S6. Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution (Part 1) |
| Coffee Break | Coffee Break & Poster Session A | Coffee Break | |
| S2. Antiviral Therapeutics, Vaccines, and Host Defenses (Part 2) |
S5. Virus-Host Interactions (Part 2) |
S6. Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution (Part 2) | |
| Flash Poster Session | EVORA/ELIXIR Workshop |
Closing & Award Ceremony | |
| Conference Dinner (8:30 pm CET) |
Detailed Program
Day 1 – Wednesday, 11 March 2026
from 08:00 |
Check-In |
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09:00-09:15 |
Opening Ceremony |
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S1. General Topics in Virology (Part 1)chaired by Shan-Lu Liu |
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| 09:15-09:45 | Urs Greber Invited Speaker |
Virus Infection Beyond Replication and Assembly |
| 09:45-10:00 | Berta Blanch-Lázaro | Lumpy skin disease virus replication kinetics and local immune host response in a novel bovine skin explant model |
| 10:00-10:15 | Maria Manali | Coinfection by respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A virus results in the formation of hybrid-like viral particles and enhancement of influenza replication |
| 10:15-10:30 | Madeline Steck | Investigating the emergence potential of Bussuquara virus, a neglected mosquito-borne orthoflavivirus from the neotropics |
10:30-11:00 |
Coffee Break |
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S1. General Topics in Virology (Part 2)chaired by Eric Freed & Shan-Lu Liu |
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| 11:00-11:30 | Marta Giovanetti Invited Speaker |
Implementing an integrated system to enhance global surveillance of emerging and reemerging viral threats |
| 11:30-11:45 | Daniel Cifuentes | Structured RNA Elements Drive Poly(A)-Independent Stability and Translation of Lassa Virus mRNAs |
| 11:45-12:00 | Eugene Wu | Proteomic and structural analysis of Tupanvirus deep ocean, a hairy monster from the deep |
| 12:00-12:30 | Shuofeng Yuan Invited Speaker |
Dissecting the host-virus interface for broad-spectrum antiviral therapy |
S3. Antiviral Innate Immunitychaired by Shan-Lu Liu |
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| 12:30-12:45 | Matthew Evans | Coevolution of Zika virus nonstructural protein 5 replication and interferon antagonism activities |
| 12:45-13:00 | Eric Poeschla | Parabiosis and Marrow Transplantation Differentially Transfer Innate Immune System Properties of Picornaviral RdRp Transgenic Mice |
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Oxford Expression Technologies – Company Spotlight (2-3 mins presentation) |
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13:00-14:30 |
Lunch Break |
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S2. Antiviral Therapeutics, Vaccines, and Host Defenses (Part 1)chaired by Mark Harris |
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| 14:30-15:00 | Eike Steinmann Invited Speaker |
Recent advances in hepatitis E virus drug development |
| 15:00-15:15 | David Evans | Adeno-associated virus delivery of Env-specific antibodies affords durable protection against simian immunodeficiency virus challenge |
| 15:15-15:30 | Young-Min Lee | Comparative Evaluation of Three Chimeric Zika Vaccine Candidates Engineered on the Genetic Backbone of the Live-Attenuated Japanese Encephalitis Virus Vaccine SA14-14-2 |
| 15:30-15:45 | Giuditta De Lorenzo | Impact of amino acid substitutions on ZIKV “viral breathing” and antigen exposure |
| 15:45-16:00 | Pablo Gastaminza | Insight into the molecular mode of action of a family of selective pan-coronavirus inhibitors |
16:00-16:30 |
Coffee Break |
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S2. Antiviral Therapeutics, Vaccines, and Host Defenses (Part 2)chaired by Enzo Tramantano |
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| 16:30-17:00 | Leo James Invited Speaker |
Intracellular antibody immunity and the targeted degradation of pathogens |
| 17:00-17:15 | José Gallego | Targeting the Rev recognition RNA element of HIV-1 |
| 17:15-17:30 | Mara Klöhn | Nucleoside analog 4′-Fluorouridine inhibits hepatitis E virus infection |
| 17:30-17:45 | Paolo Malune | γ-Phosphonate monoalkyl nucleotide analogues inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro by inducing dissociation of the minimal replication-transcription complex |
| 17:45-18:00 | Deborah Fuller |
A universal influenza DNA vaccine delivered via needle-free gene gun induces broad mucosal immunity against diverse influenza viruses in mice and nonhuman primates |
Flash Poster Sessionchaired by Nikos Vasilakis |
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| 18:00-18:30 | Florencia Meyer | Large-scale survey of the bovine upper-respiratory metatranscriptome underscores the complex etiology of bovine respiratory disease. |
| Binhua Ling | Targeting N-glycosylation to restore CD8+ T cell function in virally-suppressed SIV infection | |
| Darío López-García | The interferon induced protein 27 (IFI27) is a positive regulator of PACT-dependent PKR activation | |
| Jordi Exposito Trivino | Uncovering APOBEC3G regulation upon SARS-CoV-2 infection | |
| Paola N. Loperena González | The role of host fatty acid synthase in Mayaro virus replication | |
| Francesca Palma | The phleboviruses Sandfly Fever Naples virus and Toscana virus uncouple the RNase and kinase activity of IRE-1 | |
| Susana Guix |
Vectorial release of novel MLB Human Astrovirus in polarized intestinal enteroids in association with extracellular vesicles | |
| Wendy Paola Alvarez Leal | Mapping the Protein Domains Required for the Antiviral Activity of Schlafen 14 | |
| Alessandra Rossetto |
Monocyte-Based Transport of HSV-1 Oncolytic Viruses for Enhanced Acute Myeloid Leukemia Targeting | |
Day 2 – Thursday, 12 March 2026
09:00-09:45 |
David Ho
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Purging the HIV Reservoirintroduced by Albert Bosch |
S4. Structure and Mechanisms of Virus Replication (Part 1)chaired by Jan Münch |
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| 09:45-10:00 | Alessandro Leo | KSHV exploits the BAP1/MLL3 axis to drive lytic primary infection of oral epithelial cells |
| 10:00-10:15 | Line Abildgaard Ryberg | Capturing the FAD-capped de novo initiation complex of hepatitis C virus NS5B at high resolution |
| 10:15-10:45 | Karen Maxwell Invited Speaker |
Molecular choreography of phage defence: sensing viral assembly to abort infection |
10:45-11:15 |
Coffee Break |
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S4. Structure and Mechanisms of Virus Replication (Part 2)chaired by Nicola Stonehouse |
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| 11:15-11:45 | Eric Freed Invited Speaker |
HIV uses non-canonical pathways to escape from integrase inhibitors |
| 11:45-12:00 | Juan Reguera | Decoding how Chikungunya virus non structural proteins assemble in evolving complexes for seting a sequential program of virus infection |
| 12:00-12:15 | Catherine Eichwald | Building Rotavirus Replication Compartments Beyond Species A |
| 12:15-12:45 | Joe Grove Invited Speaker |
Scaling AI-structure prediction to virology |
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EVORA/ELIXIR – Company Spotlight (2-3 mins presentation) |
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Group Photo |
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13:00-14:30 |
Lunch Break & Poster Session A |
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S5. Virus-Host Interactions (Part 1)chaired by Eric Poeschla |
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| 14:30-14:45 | Katya Heldwein | ER chloride channel CLCC1 promotes nuclear envelope fusion in herpesviruses and their hosts. |
| 14:45-15:00 | Paula Vázquez-Utrilla | Tripartite motif containing 34 (TRIM34) protein interacts with the nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery and negatively modulates antiviral responses |
| 15:00-15:15 | Ruth Serra-Moreno | Adaptation of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike to counteract human Tetherin/BST-2 confers resistance to virion tethering and antibody-dependent cellular immunity |
| 15:15-15:30 | Joachim Denner | The immunosuppressive properties of the PERV transmembrane protein p15E raise the question of whether it could be exploited to reduce xenotransplant rejection |
| 15:30-16:00 | Christiane Wobus Invited Speaker |
Noroviruses as metabolic engineers |
16:00-16:45 |
Coffee Break & Poster Session A |
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S5. Virus-Host Interactions (Part 2)chaired by Kei Sato |
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| 16:45-17:00 | Erika Girardi | DEAD box RNA helicase 5 is a new pro-viral host factor for Sindbis virus infection |
| 17:00-17:15 | Amber Schotting | Analysis of EV-A71 and EV-D68 Infection in Human Neuromuscular Organoids Reveals Distinct Mechanisms of Neuromuscular Impairment |
| 17:15-17:30 | Meghan Carter | HCMV Virion Associated Glycoprotein UL14 is Critical for the Establishment of Infection in Epithelial Cells |
| 17:30-17:45 | Alexandros Belavilas-Trovas | Why Mosquitoes Don’t Get Sick from Chikungunya Virus? Decoding Disease Tolerance Mechanisms in Aedes Mosquitoes |
| 17:45-18:00 | Yong-Hui Zheng | SARS-CoV-2 Undergoes Receptor Switch during Endocytic Entry |
| 18:00-18:30 | Stephanie Pfänder Invited Speaker |
Dissecting Emerging Viruses at the Host Interface |
18:45-20:15 |
EVORA/ELIXIR Workshop on Research Data Management in Virology |
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at 20:30 |
Conference Dinner at La Botiga PedralbesAddress: Carrer de Gandesa, 10, Les Corts, 08029 Barcelona |
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Day 3 – Friday, 13 March 2026
S5. Virus-Host Interactions (Part 3)chaired by Ruth Serra-Moreno |
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| 09:00-09:30 | Laurie Krug Invited Speaker |
Flipping the script: An oncogenic herpesvirus trapped in its cancer |
| 09:30-09:45 | Chun-Chieh Hsu | Coronavirus NSP14 Drives Internal m7G Modification to Rewire Host Splicing and Promote Viral Replication |
| 09:45-10:00 | Alyssa Borges | Uncovering bacteriophage-LPS interactions with Gram-negative model membranes |
| 10:00-10:15 | Silvia Gramolelli | Heat shock factor 2 as a dual regulator of gamma-herpesvirus life cycle |
| 10:15-10:45 | Stéphane Blanc Invited Speaker |
What we can learn in virology from multipartite viruses |
10:45-11:30 |
Coffee Break & Poster Session B |
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S5. Virus-Host Interactions (Part 4)chaired by Katya Heldwein |
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| 11:30-11:45 | Yu-Jie Chen | The Sec61-EMC complex promotes biosynthesis of the SARS-CoV-2 non-structural proteins |
| 11:45-12:00 | Kaitlin Murray | Disruption of vagal signaling impairs the central nervous system immune response to infection with murine coronavirus. |
| 12:00-12:15 | Armando Arias | Mitophagy-related prohibitin 2 is an orthoflavivirus restriction factor targeted to degradation during infection |
| 12:15-12:30 | Adrián Coto Ramos | RPA1 protects the host genome from undesired integration of episomal viral DNA |
| 12:30-13:00 | Anna Cliffe Invited Speaker |
The different shades of HSV-1 latency: regulation of reactivation by distinct epigenetic structures |
13:00-14:45 |
Lunch Break & Poster Session B |
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S6. Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution (Part 1)chaired by Deborah Fuller |
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| 14:45-15:00 | Helena Winstone | Clade C MERS-CoV camel strains vary in protease utilization during viral entry |
| 15:00-15:15 | Jarel Elgin Tolentino | Structural and phenotypic plasticity of the RBD loop2 region is a key determinant for HKU5r-CoVs’ emergence in mink |
| 15:15-15:30 | David Garcia Pedemonte | Unveiling the circulation of poliovirus vaccinal strains in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area through wastewater surveillance |
| 15:30-15:45 | Anthony Coleon | Hamsters with long Covid exhibit a neurodegenerative signature in the brainstem |
| 15:45-16:00 | Santseharay Ramirez Almeida | Sublethal mutagenesis induced by molnupiravir increases genetic diversity of the SARS-CoV-2 quasispecies, decreases pathogenesis in vivo and does not accelerate the emergence of drug resistance |
16:00-16:30 |
Coffee Break |
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S6. Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution (Part 2)chaired by Matt Evans |
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| 16:30-16:45 | Pamela Martinez-Orellana | Virus induced-senescence is correlated to DNA damage and loss of neuronal networks mediated by the pro-inflammatory activation of the cGAS-STING pathway |
| 16:45-17:00 | Nikos Vasilakis | Integrated Reiterative Pipeline for Rapid Epitope-Based Vaccine Design Against Alphaviruses |
| 17:00-17:30 | Rosa Pinto Invited Speaker |
Mutational Landscape of circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus 2 in sewage in a high vaccine coverage area |
17:30-18:00 |
Closing Remarks & Awards Ceremony |
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