The FASEB Science Research Conference on ?Virus Structure and Assembly? is the premier meeting for structural virology, and covers aspects of virus lifecycles and host interactions as well as evolutionary and biotechnological topics. The 2018 edition will be the 15th in this series of biennial meetings that started in 1990 and which has flourished with, and facilitated advances in, structural virology, biophysical virology, viral genomics, molecular virology, and the structural interactions between viral and host components, including the membranes, proteins, and nucleic acids. New high-resolution methods from X-ray crystallography and in particular from newly developed and advanced methods in cryo-electron microscopy are providing us with new deep understanding of viral mechanisms at molecular and often atomic levels, based on the structures of the viral and host components. The exploitation of such newly obtained data is a strong and common theme in recent SRC conference presentations, and will clearly continue for the next few years, driving the field further into exciting new territory. The character of the ?Virus Structure and Assembly? meeting has evolved along with the technologies and advances in the state of the art, and is unique for its broad focus on virus systems and experimental methodologies. This approach delivers cutting-edge approaches, stimulates collaborations and supports the rapid transfer of technology to studies of many different viruses. As well as presentations of cutting-edge results, the meeting provides ample opportunities for scientific discussions with speakers and among all of the participants, encouraging the flow of new ideas and collaborations. An important focus is on encouraging more junior scientists, students and post-docs to develop their scientific careers through advice and contacts. This includes the selection of poster abstracts for elevation to platform talks, their participation in ?Meet the Expert? sessions with speakers, as well as in a specific session related to Virology Education. Recent advances in overlapping areas of new structural methods and virology ensure that this will be a top-quality meeting in this series.
The FASEB Science Research Conference on ?Virus Structure and Assembly? brings together researchers who present the latest results on viral structures, assembly and functions. Participants address how those results impact our understanding of every aspect of the virus lifecycle, including the interactions between viruses and hosts, as well as biomedical and biotechnological applications that stem from this knowledge. Virus structure is increasingly important for developing new antiviral approaches and for harnessing viruses for beneficial purposes, including gene therapy, anti-cancer therapies, and antimicrobials.
