2019 ISV Congress

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to announce that the venue for the 2019 International Society for Vaccines (ISV) Annual Congress has moved to Europe and will be held in the beautiful medieval city of Ghent, in Flanders-Belgium, October 27-29 at the International Convention Centre (ICC).

Ghent is centrally located in Europe, at the crossroads of transport networks between Amsterdam, Paris, London and the Ruhr area of Germany. The city is also easily accessible by air via Brussels airport and a direct train connection.

Ghent and its surroundings are home to a vibrant vaccine and bioscience community of Universities, Biotechnology Institutes, Pharmaceutical companies and biotech SME’s. The city has an impressive history going back 15 centuries and is home to famous museums and historical buildings straddling idyllic canals, all within walking distance of hotels and restaurants.

This year’s Congress is co-chaired by Linda Klavinskis and Ted M. Ross along with local co-chair Xavier Saelens (University of Ghent).

Please see some preliminary Congress info below to enthuse you for the upcoming Congress:

• The ISV Annual Congress is the world’s largest non-commercial scientific conference for basic and clinical researchers interested in vaccines and the underlying sciences, with broad coverage of topics related to vaccines and immunotherapies ranging from basic research through manufacturing and clinical trials for human and veterinary vaccines encompassing infectious diseases and cancer. The conference provides a platform to exchange ideas through lively discussions led by session chairs and through vibrant interactive poster sessions among the attendees.
• Gender balance of session chairs and speakers as well as balance of the career stage of speakers is strongly supported.
• A further attribute is inclusion of a high percentage of speakers selected from submitted abstracts, in addition to the invited keynote speakers. Special efforts are made to help trainees advance their careers with a career development panel discussion, feedback of poster presentations by senior scientists, and ISV’s mentoring program.
• The ISV General Membership Meeting is held as part of the Annual Congress to determine key ISV policies and elect members of the ISV Executive Board. Participation in ISV is an excellent way to increase your scientific network and visibility.
• In addition to representation from the global and regional vaccine groups such as the Korean Vaccine Society (KVS) and the Japanese Society of Vaccines (JSV), the ISV China branch will also join the Congress.

Like previous years several awards will also be available to support delegates from low- and middle-income countries and junior scientists in vaccine science with further updates to be announced on the Congress website: https://isvcongress.org/.

Please join us in Ghent, Belgium for this exciting meeting to present your work and interact with colleagues. The feedback we have received indicates attendees find this event provides optimal opportunities to present their research on a global stage, gain new ideas, and establish fruitful collaborations.

We look forward to seeing you and hearing your latest research in Ghent!

Please note that ISV members receive a $100 discount from the registration fees.

Sincerely,

2019 Congress Co-Chairs:

Linda S. Klavinskis

King’s College London - UK

Ted M. Ross

University of Georgia - USA

Xavier Saelens (local Co-Chair)

University of Ghent - Belgium