: Virus-host interactions in the nucleus have long been recognized as playing important roles in determining the course of viral infection. Families of viruses with genomes composed of RNA (e.g. retroviruses and influenza) or DNA (e.g. polyomaviruses, papillomaviruses, adenoviruses and herpesviruses) interact with many of the same host cell pathways. Each virus family has also evolved unique strategies to create a nuclear environment conducive to viral gene expression and productive replication. Investigators studying RNA and DNA viruses often attend separate meetings, and this separation has limited our appreciation of the commonalities in modes of action. This proposal requests funds to assist in partial support of a meeting entitled """"""""Viral Manipulation of Nuclear Processes"""""""" that will bring together researchers who work on both RNA and DNA viruses to discuss areas of common interest. The meeting is sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and will be held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC (October 30 to November 2, 2014). This meeting follows two highly successful previous meetings on this topic held in 2008 in Charleston, SC and in 2011 in Santa Fe, NM. Outstanding researchers have been invited to serve as chairs and speakers. In addition we have invited Keynote speakers from outside the field, who will give general interest introductions to fundamental issues of signaling and architecture in the nucleus. All other presentations will be chosen for either oral talks or posters from submitted abstracts. In this way we will ensure that the forefron of research is presented and will encourage participation of younger researchers. The Organizing Committee consists of established leaders from different areas of virology. They will be responsible for selection of speakers from submitted abstracts and for choosing recipients of travel awards. A concerted effort will be made at every stage of the meeting planning and organization to ensure inclusion of women and minorities. We request funds to cover travel costs and accommodation of junior speakers and provide travel awards for young investigators. This meeting is designed to explore emerging and novel types of host-virus interactions. It will emphasize how viruses alter nuclear architecture, modulate expression of cellular transcripts, manipulate DNA replication and repair machinery, and have evolved strategies to overcome host innate immune surveillance mechanisms in the nucleus. These are significant areas in virology that will provide new insights into viral pathogenesis. These topics will be addressed in five sessions: 1) Viral Manipulation of Host Pathways, 2) Viral Remodeling of Nuclear Architecture, 3) Viruses and DNA Damage Responses, 4) Virus-Chromatin Interactions, and 5) Virus-Host Interactions. The meeting will provide a forum for discussion of topical issues confronting virology, and will foster new interactions, particularly between junior and senior investigators working on different virus families. We anticipate that the topics presented will stimulate collaborations across virology and promote exciting new approaches to advance human health.
The ASM sponsored conference entitled Viral Manipulation of Nuclear Processes is designed to bring together groups of investigators working in diverse areas of virology. The meeting will encourage a deeper understanding of mechanisms utilized by both RNA and DNA viruses to manipulate nuclear processes for viral replication and pathogenesis. The meeting will allow researchers to share ideas freely and develop areas of future collaboration, and will thus explore exciting new findings in the field that will ultimately impact our ability to combat infections of relevance to public health.
