Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference entitled Viral Immunity: Basic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications organized by Drs. Katherine Kedzierska and Paul G. Thomas. The conference will be held in Banff, Alberta, Canada from February 5-9, 2021. Viruses constitute a continuing threat to global public health and cause millions of severe infections annually. Limiting the impact of viral infections requires a multi-layered understanding of viral immunity, from basic research on viral recognition and host immune responses, to the clinical application of novel antiviral and host- targeted therapies and vaccines. Despite recent advances, basic immune mechanisms underlying both rapid host recovery, as well as, severe and fatal disease outcomes, are far from clear. Therefore, this Keystone Symposia conference covers a wide range of viral immunity topics summarizing the most recent advances in innate immunity and inflammation, viral sensing and antigen presentation, adaptive T and B cell immunity, novel vaccine development, human immunology across anatomical sites, and innovative computational analyses. The conference juxtaposes animal models with human and clinical studies, and aims to integrate multi-disciplinary knowledge. A key outcome will be fostering collaborations across different approaches such as viral models and host systems, and also across different communities from academia to government to industry. The overall objective of this conference is to provide a unique opportunity for cross-disciplinary interactions and knowledge exchange. Joint efforts in understanding viral immunity are needed for the rational design of new immunotherapies and vaccines towards seasonal, emerging, and re-emerging viruses.
Viral infections remain one of the most prominent threats to global health and viral epidemics have reminded the public of the threat that viruses pose to humanity. Limiting the impact of these viral infections requires a multi-layered understanding of viral immunity so this conference brings together the fields of immunology, virology and infectious diseases to facilitate collaborations to further advance antiviral immunity research and foster collaborations. The overall objective of this conference is to provide a unique opportunity for cross- disciplinary interactions and knowledge exchange.
