Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference entitled The Global Virome in Health and Disease, organized by Drs. David Wang, Frederic D. Bushman and Mya Breitbart. The conference will be held in Tahoe City, California from March 1-4, 2020. Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on earth, but only recently has it been possible to define the full virome in humans, animals, plants and global environments. Virome signatures have been associated with diverse conditions such as HIV/AIDS, inflammatory bowel disease, malnutrition, graft versus host disease, organ transplantation, and type 1 diabetes, providing novel insights into mechanisms of pathogenesis. Recently a variety of new beneficial roles of the virome have also been identified, thereby broadening our understanding of the commensal microbiome. However, despite these advances, the vast majority of the virome remains undiscovered, and thus many associations with health and disease remain to be identified. The goals of this conference are to examine the state-of-the art in virome studies, including efforts to define the virome, establish linkages with health and disease, understand interactions between viral and bacterial components of the microbiome, exploit new model systems, and identify mechanisms of immune control. This would be the first conference dedicated solely to the virome, bringing together experts in eukaryotic virology, phage biology, genomics, informatics, public health, model organisms, and immunology. This conference will bridge the distinct research communities that study bacterial and eukaryotic viruses and unify host-based and environmental research frameworks to allow potent new synergies.
Research has recently established associations of the virome to a wide range of diseases, including HIV/AIDS, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, and malnutrition. However, despite these advances, the vast majority of the virome remains undiscovered, and thus many associations with health and disease remain to be identified. This conference will promote an interdisciplinary assessment of where the field is going and to explore how best to navigate roadblocks and hurdles to fully realize the potential of this field for improving human health.
