Announcements

Conference: The 10th National Congress of the Italian Society for Virology
Date: 14–16 June 2026
Location: Palermo, Italy

We are pleased to announce that MDPI will be participating in the 10th National Congress of the Italian Society for Virology, taking place from 14 to 16 June 2026, in Palermo, Italy.

The Congress will feature thematic sessions dedicated to key areas of contemporary virology, including viral pathogenesis and disease, antiviral drugs and antiviral therapy, immunity in viral infections, virus–host interaction and evolution of viruses, emerging and re-emerging viruses, applied virology and research, zoonoses and viral infections in animals, plant and environmental virology, prevention and treatment of viral diseases, translational research in virology, diagnostics in human virology, surveillance networks in virology, virus and cancer. The scientific program will include keynote lectures, invited talks, short oral communications, and poster presentations. Young Investigators will be actively supported through dedicated scholarships and opportunities for scientific exchange and visibility.

We look forward to connecting with researchers, authors, and editors at our booth. Visit us to learn more about our latest publications, Special Issues, and open access initiatives in the field of virology and related disciplines.

The following open access journals will be represented at the conference:

• Viruses;
• Microorganisms;
• COVID.

If you will be attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

Conference: the 1st South-East Transnational Congress of Microbial Sciences (SETCoMS)
Date: 10–13 June 2026
Place: Belgrade, Serbia
Conference website: https://setcoms2026.ums.rs/

We are pleased to announce that MDPI will be participating as an exhibitor at the 1st South-East Transnational Congress of Microbial Sciences (SETCoMS), which will be held from 10 to 13 June 2026, in Belgrade, Serbia.

On behalf of the scientific and organizing committees of the Congress, we would like to cordially

invite you to participate in the 1st SOUTH-EAST TRANSNATIONAL CONGRESS OF MICROBIAL SCIENCES (SETCoMS 2026 & MIKROMED REGIO 6) “MicroFusion, Big Impact – Microbiology, Health & Environment in Harmony” with one clear goal—to integrate diverse microbial disciplines and generate impactful, real-world solutions.

Our mission is rooted in three core values:

• Integration across disciplines and borders;
• Crisis response to global health challenges;
• Sustainability for long-term planetary well-being.

SETCoMS 2026 is the beginning of a new platform for scientific exchange, partnership building, and cross-sector cooperation.

As part of our commitment to supporting high-quality research in these fields, MDPI is proud to sponsor the event through the participation of the following journals:

• Microorganisms;
• Viruses;
• BioChem;
• Journal of Fungi (JoF);
• Acta Microbiologica Hellenica (AMH);
• Applied Microbiology;
• Microbiology Research;
• Bacteria.

Our editorial team will be available on-site and would be delighted to meet with attendees. If you are attending the conference, feel free to stop by our booth to learn more about our open access publishing opportunities, ongoing Special Issues, and how we support researchers in advancing their work.

We look forward to meeting you in Belgrade!

Name: FASEB Virus Structure and Assembly Meeting
Date: 20–23 July 2026
Location: Niagara Falls Convention Center/Sheraton Hotel| Niagara Falls, NY | #VirStrucSRC

Since 1990, this conference has provided a platform for viral researchers to share their research, collaborate, and network with other researchers to develop novel therapeutics and host defenses against some of the deadliest diseases in biology.

This year’s program features experts from across the world, merging discussions of biophysical methods with the fundamental biology of viruses. Sessions will cover topics across structural virology, molecular biology, infection, genetics, therapeutics, and evolution, with a focus on virus–host interactions, as well as viral mechanisms, replication, and egress. The agenda will also cover therapeutic advances, nanotechnology, virus evolution, and viral genomics. The particular emphasis on RNA viruses such as HIV-1, Influenza, Flavivirus, and coronaviruses in the agenda reflects current global health challenges and research frontiers.

Attendees will learn about the following:

• How to identify and use the latest techniques and tools in cryo-electron microscopy, cryo-electron tomography, mass spectrometry, and computational modeling for virus research;
• The most recent results in virus structure, assembly, dynamics, infection, function, technology, and therapeutics;
• The newest tools studying RNA viruses such as HIV-1, influenza, flaviviruses, and coronaviruses;
• Integration of structural tools and principles into biological research related to virus infection and evolution.

Dr. Karin Musier-Forsyth of Ohio State University, USA, an Editorial Board Member of Viruses, will be the invited speaker for Session 6: Viral Genome Structure and Function.

Learn more and stay updated at https://events.faseb.org/event/Virus-Structure/summary.

Save the dates and join us in New York for an extraordinary congress. We cannot wait to welcome you!

Conference: The American Society for Virology 45th Annual Meeting (ASV)
Date: 27–30 July 2026
Location: Minneapolis, USA

MDPI will attend the American Society for Virology 45th Annual Meeting (ASV) as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Minneapolis, USA, from 27 to 30 July 2026. 

ASV meetings are among the largest and most important virology conferences in the world. These meetings provide a forum to promote discussion and collaboration among scientists active in all aspects of virology, from basic research to vaccines and antiviral therapeutics. The meeting attracts 1400-1800 national and international scientists for a program crafted from over 1000 participant-submitted abstracts, 17 invited symposium speakers, and 6 distinctive state-of-the-art speakers.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Viruses;
• Pathogens;
• Biomolecules;
• Vaccines;
• COVID;
• Microorganisms;
• Immuno;
• BioMed;
• Germs;
• Microbiology Research.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.asv.org/asv2026.

1. “An Improved Workflow for the Quantification of Orthohantavirus Infection Using Automated Imaging and Flow Cytometry”
by Laura Menke and Christian Sieben
Viruses 2024, 16(2), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16020269

2. “Bivalent VSV Vectors Mediate Rapid and Potent Protection from Andes Virus Challenge in Hamsters”
by Joshua Marceau, David Safronetz, Cynthia Martellaro, Andrea Marzi, Kyle Rosenke and Heinz Feldmann
Viruses 2024, 16(2), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16020279

3. “Hantavirus Expansion Trends in Natural Host Populations in Brazil”
by José Henrique Fortes Mello, Renata L. Muylaert and Carlos Eduardo Viveiros Grelle
Viruses 2024, 16(7), 1154; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16071154

4. “Serological Evidence of Hantavirus in Bats from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: An Investigation of Seroreactivity and Cross-Reactivity of Neotropical Bat Samples Using Nucleoproteins of Rodent- and Bat-Borne Hantaviruses”
by Caroline Lacorte Rangel, Silvia da Silva Fontes, Marcus Vinicius de Mattos Silva, Jorlan Fernandes, Janaina Figueira Mansur, Emmanuel Messias Vilar, Sócrates Fraga da Costa-Neto, Roberto Leonan Morim Novaes, Pedro Cordeiro-Estrela, Ricardo Moratelli et al.
Viruses 2024, 16(12), 1857; https://doi.org/10.3390/v16121857

6. “Evaluating Neutralizing Antibodies in Hantavirus-Infected Patients Using Authentic Virus and Recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Systems”
by Punya Shrivastava-Ranjan, Jamie A. Kelly, Laura K. McMullan, Deborah Cannon, Laura Morgan, Payel Chatterjee, Shilpi Jain, Joel M. Montgomery, Mike Flint, César G. Albariño et al.
Viruses 2025, 17(5), 723; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17050723

7. “Novel Orthohantavirus Associated with Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in Northern Argentina”
by Carla M. Bellomo, Sebastian Kehl, Daniel Oscar Alonso, Walter López, Flavia Cassinelli, Rocío María Coelho, Gabriela Bravo, Sara Aguirre, Marcela Dib, Natalia Periolo et al.
Viruses 2025, 17(5), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17050717

8. “Interactions Between Hantavirus Nucleoprotein and Glycoproteins: A Quantitative Fluorescence Microscopy Study”
by Amit Koikkarah Aji, Titas Mandal and Salvatore Chiantia
Viruses 2025, 17(7), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17070940

9. “Phloroglucinol Oligomers from Callistemon rigidus as Novel Anti-Hantavirus Replication Agents”
by Jin-Xuan Yang, E-E Luo, Yue-Chun Wu, Kai Zhao, Wei Hou, Mu-Yuan Yu, Xu-Jie Qin and Xing-Lou Yang
Viruses 2025, 17(7), 916; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17070916

10. “Beyond ECMO Survival: Long-Term Symptom Burden and Quality-of-Life Impairment in Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome Survivors”
by Gonzalo Valenzuela, Katherine Barahona, Camila Rojas, Aldo Barrera, Carolina Henríquez, Constanza Martínez-Valdebenito, Marcela Potin, Paula Bedregal and Marcela Ferrés
Viruses 2025, 17(9), 1241; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17091241

Observed annually on 12 May, the International Day of Plant Health is a United Nations initiative that calls global attention to the critical role of healthy plants and the urgent need to protect them from pests and diseases. The theme for 2026, “Plant Biosecurity for Food Security”, positions plant biosecurity as the first line of defense for the world’s food systems.

As a committed academic partner in plant protection, crop science, microbiology, and sustainable agriculture, MDPI leverages its open‑access publishing platform to disseminate cutting‑edge research. On the International Day of Plant Health 2026, MDPI journals in in the Biology & Life Sciences actively supports cross‑disciplinary dialogue and knowledge exchange on plant health, crop biosecurity, and food systems by showcasing relevant articles, Special Issues, and journals. Our goal is to help strengthen phytosanitary capacities across countries and regions, thereby building a solid barrier for the security and stability of global food supply chains.

“Plant Hormone Regulation of Competitive Growth: Implications for Agriculture and Inclusive Fitness”
by Jasmina Kurepa and Jan A. Smalle
Appl. Biosci. 2026, 5(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/applbiosci5020024

“Genomic and Phylogenetic Evidence for a Novel Emaravirus Infecting Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Amazonas, Peru”
by Angel F. Huaman-Pilco, Nicola Fiore, Oscar P. Hurtado-Gonzales, Larissa Carvalho Costa, Xiaojun Hu, Manuel Oliva-Cruz, Jorge R. Díaz-Valderrama and Alan Zamorano
Int. J. Plant Biol. 2025, 16(4), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb16040142

“Linking Soil Microbial Functional Profiles to Fungal Disease Resistance in Winter Barley Under Different Fertilisation Regimes”
by Mariana Petkova, Petar Chavdarov and Stefan Shilev
Plants 2025, 14(20), 3199; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14203199

“Antioxidant Defense Systems in Plants: Mechanisms, Regulation, and Biotechnological Strategies for Enhanced Oxidative Stress Tolerance”
by Faustina Barbara Cannea and Alessandra Padiglia
Life 2025, 15(8), 1293; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081293

“Deciphering Cowpea Resistance to Potyvirus: Assessment of eIF4E Gene Mutations and Their Impact on the eIF4E-VPg Protein Interaction”
by Fernanda Alves de Andrade, Madson Allan de Luna-Aragão, José Diogo Cavalcanti Ferreira, Fernanda Freitas Souza, Ana Carolina da Rocha Oliveira, Antônio Félix da Costa, Francisco José Lima Aragão, Carlos André dos Santos-Silva, Ana Maria Benko-Iseppon and Valesca Pandolfi
Viruses 2025, 17(8), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17081050

“Unlocking Plant Resilience: Metabolomic Insights into Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops”
by Agata Głuchowska, Bartłomiej Zieniuk and Magdalena Pawełkowicz
Metabolites 2025, 15(6), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15060384

“Microbially Enhanced Biofertilizers: Technologies, Mechanisms of Action, and Agricultural Applications”
by Sylwia Figiel, Piotr Rusek, Urszula Ryszko and Marzena Sylwia Brodowska
Agronomy 2025, 15(5), 1191; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15051191

“Effective Strategies for Managing Wheat Diseases: Mapping Academic Literature Utilizing VOSviewer and Insights from Our 15 Years of Research”
by Ioannis Vagelas
Agrochemicals 2025, 4(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/agrochemicals4010004

“Humic Substances: Bridging Ecology and Agriculture for a Greener Future”
by Angela Maffia, Mariateresa Oliva, Federica Marra, Carmelo Mallamaci, Serenella Nardi and Adele Muscolo
Agronomy 2025, 15(2), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15020410

“Plant Biostimulants to Enhance Abiotic Stress Resilience in Crops”
by Luciana Di Sario, Patricia Boeri, José Tomás Matus and Gastón A. Pizzio
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1129; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031129

“ROS, an Important Plant Growth Regulator in Root Growth and Development: Functional Genes and Mechanism”
by Jialin Su, Yumei Liu, Fengqing Han, Fuxin Gao, Fangyi Gan, Ke Huang and Zhansheng Li
Biology 2024, 13(12), 1033; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13121033

“Exploring the Origins of Hexaploid Wheats: Typification of Archaeological Triticum vulgare var. antiquorum and Description of Modern Triticum sphaerococcum subsp. antiquorum (Poaceae: Triticeae)”
by Diego Rivera, Pedro Pablo Ferrer-Gallego, Concepción Obón, Francisco Alcaraz, Emilio Laguna and Nikolay P. Goncharov
Taxonomy 2024, 4(4), 780-794; https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy4040042

“Cadmium Stress Signaling Pathways in Plants: Molecular Responses and Mechanisms”
by Valentina Vitelli, Agnese Giamborino, Andrea Bertolini, Alessandro Saba and Andrea Andreucci
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2024, 46(6), 6052-6068; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb46060361

“Plant Health in the Context of Fungal and Other Microbial Threats: Systematics, Pathogenesis and Integrated Management” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Yi Zhou, Dr. Jinglong Zhou and Dr. Jianwei Jiang Deadline for submissions: 31 October 2026	“Fungal Diseases of Cereals” Guest Editors: Dr. Lorenzo Covarelli and Dr. Giovanni Beccari Deadline for submissions: 31 October 2026
“Plant Life: Integrating Multi-Omic Approaches from Molecules to Environment” Guest Editors: Dr. Sen Meng and Dr. Fang He Deadline for submissions: 25 September 2026	“Plant Stress Resilience: Unveiling Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies” Guest Editor: Dr. Giuseppe Mannino Deadline for submissions: 20 November 2026
“Biological Control: Insect-Plant Interactions for Sustainable Pest Management” Guest Editors: Dr. Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi, Dr. Rostislav Zemek and Dr. Eduardo Soares Calixto Deadline for submissions: 10 December 2026	“Monitoring, Management and Ecotoxicological Implications of Plant Fungal Disease Control” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Gil Rodrigues dos Santos and Dr. Eugenio E. Oliveira Deadline for submissions: 31 December 2026

The 3rd International Online Conference on Agriculture Organizers: MDPI and Agriculture Volume Editor: Bin Gao Highlights: “Genetically Modified Crops as a Strategy for Reducing Pesticide Dependence in Sub-Saharan Africa: Exploring Benefits, Adoption Constraints and Policies” by Chijioke Christopher Uhegwu and Christian Kosisochukwu Anumudu “Evaluation of the Antifungal Effect of Carvacrol-Rich Essential Oils: In Vitro Study on the Phytopathogenic Fungi Alternaria and Fusarium” by Vasileios Papantzikos, Georgios Patakioutas and Paraskevi Yfanti Click here to read the full list of papers.

We are honored to announce that Prof. Dr. William Gerwick will serve as the Chair of the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee.

A world-renowned authority in marine natural products chemistry and pharmacology, Professor Gerwick is a Distinguished Professor at both the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). His pioneering work at the intersection of ocean sciences and drug discovery makes him a fitting leader for an award centered on transformative medicinal breakthroughs.

Under Professor Gerwick’s stewardship, the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee will focus on recognizing innovative and impactful research in natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry, particularly work with the potential to drive meaningful advances in both scientific understanding and human health.

To provide further insight into his perspectives, we include below an interview with Professor Gerwick, in which he reflects on his scientific journey, his views on the field, and his vision for the Tu Youyou Award.

A Conversation with the Chair

1. Could you please introduce yourself and your research journey?

My research focuses on the natural products of marine algae and cyanobacteria, their application in medicine, their biosynthesis using genomic approaches, and innovative methods in the structure elucidation of natural products.

I received my BS degree from the University of California at Davis, my PhD from the University of California at San Diego, and conducted postdoctoral work at the University of Connecticut. After a couple of years in a junior faculty position at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, I spent 21 years as Professor of Pharmacy at Oregon State University. In 2005, I returned to my PhD institution at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at UC San Diego, where I am currently a Distinguished Professor of Oceanography and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to advancing the field through both leadership and mentorship. I have served as president of the American Society of Pharmacognosy, chaired and co-chaired several major research conferences, and served as an associate editor for the Journal of Natural Products. I am a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and of the American Society of Pharmacognosy. I have trained over 100 doctoral and postdoctoral students, and my research group has published nearly 500 papers and more than 25 patents on topics in the natural product sciences and medicinal chemistry.

2. What motivated you to accept the role of Chair of the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee?

Of course, I am a huge supporter of all awards that are given in recognition of excellent scientific research, and especially so in the natural products sciences and medicinal chemistry. However, this award is truly special in that it recognizes scientific excellence as well as impact, and is given in the name of an individual, Tu Youyou, who clearly had many challenges along the path to reach the pinnacle of her success. Not only was she the first Chinese person to win a Nobel prize in this area, but she was also the first Chinese woman to receive a Nobel prize, and this was achieved without graduate education in China or elsewhere. It’s a true testament to what can be achieved by hard work, determination, and vision. To read the history of her extraordinary approach to discovering novel antimalarial compounds from Traditional Chinese Medicine is truly inspirational. It is, therefore, the inspiration provided by the extraordinary life and career of Tu Youyou that motivated me to accept the Chair of the Award Committee for 2026.

3. How do you view the role of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry in today’s scientific landscape, and what major advances over the past decade have shaped this field?

A quite remarkable integration of fields is currently transforming natural products science and medicinal chemistry. In natural products, we are seeing integration of different omics methods, from metabolites to proteins to nucleic acids. Sophisticated biological and pharmacological approaches are driving the discovery of exquisitely potent and selective natural products. Advances are being made to integrate molecular-level recognition of natural products with chemical ecological studies, and sophisticated methods of structure determination using Artificial Intelligence or pioneering new tools such as microED are being applied with increasing frequency. High-level synthetic methodologies, such as protecting group-free synthetic routes, are enhancing medicinal chemistry, accelerating the identification of lead molecules with attractive pharmaceutical properties at an increasing pace.

4. How do you consider the balance between fundamental discovery (e.g., new molecules or mechanisms) and practical impact (e.g., therapeutic applications)?

Many individuals are excellent scientists and mentors, and have essential roles in developing our culture that values science and the scientific method. It should also be pointed out that not all scientific discoveries are going to have a broad societal impact, but they are nevertheless critical to the overall body and structure of science. But it is a truly remarkable individual who makes a key scientific discovery, recognizes its potential value to society in general, and then has the skills and determination to bring it forward as a useful product. That was the type of person the Tu Youyou is, and that is the type of person who is honored by the prize in her name.

5. What do you see as the key challenges or opportunities currently facing the field?

We are on the crux of an amazing revolution in many of the sciences, including natural products and medicinal chemistry; the purposeful application of Artificial Intelligence to solving many of the difficulties involved in the search for new pharmaceuticals from Nature. AI is transforming how we select organisms for study, what pharmaceutical targets to go after, rapidly resolving the chemical structures of new compounds, identifying efficient routes to their chemical synthesis, understanding their molecular mechanisms of action, and finally, designing their clinical application. The role of people in these pursuits is changing. Increasingly, the human role will be providing overall vision: what can we do? What should we do? And it is important to remember that AI is providing hypotheses, not truth. Scientists with expert domain knowledge will be critical for discerning the correctness of hypotheses put forth by AI. Altogether, advances in technology, expanding knowledge, and the appropriate use of AI methods are preparing society to be able to address emerging diseases, such as pandemics, as well as conditions that are not effectively treated by currently existing therapeutics.

6. How do you expect the Tu Youyou Award to contribute to the advancement of natural product chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and human health over the coming years?

The Tu Youyou Award is potentially transformative for the broad fields of natural products science and medicinal chemistry as it brings a significantly increased level of visibility to these topics and their contributions to human health. It will be crucial to have excellent communication to news agencies, social media and other communication outlets so that the general public is informed and educated on the high impact of these natural product/medicinal chemistry contributions. This will bring increased funding, attract promising students, and generally enrich the interface of these fields with the health sector.

7. What message would you like to convey to the research community and the public during this open nomination phase?

This prize gives broad societal visibility to the role that natural products have had in shaping a majority of our current medicines, as well as understanding the life forms with whom we share the planet. Further, it recognizes a woman scientist working under sub-optimal conditions who could persevere and make discoveries of global impact. The prize and what it represents, therefore, inspires current and future generations to engage in the study of Nature and its relationship to Human Health, to overcome adversity, and to aspire to making one’s life impactful.

About the Tu Youyou Award

Established in 2016, the Tu Youyou Award seeks to honor those who excel in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. This award offers a total prize of CHF 100,000, which will be equally divided among the winners if there is more than one, with each recipient receiving an award medal and a certificate.

The 2026 Tu Youyou Award is open for nominations until 31 October 2026. We encourage all eligible candidates to participate in this prestigious recognition, as this award not only honors individual achievement but also encourages further scientific exchange, exploration and discovery in critical areas of medicine.

If you are interested in participating, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website for more information on the nomination requirements.

Our portfolio of journals available for publishing up-to-date research in immediate open access format has been further expanded. In the first quarter of 2026, nine new journals released their inaugural issues and three transferred journals released their first issue as part of MDPI, covering the subjects of clinical medicine, chemistry, computer science & mathematics, engineering, environment & ecology, and social sciences & psychology.

We extend our gratitude to the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members who will shape the future course of these brand-new journals. Each journal is dedicated to upholding strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

We would like to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. If you would like to create a new journal, you are welcome to send an application here or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com).

From 11 to 13 March, we successfully delivered the Viruses 2026—New Horizons in Virology MDPI conference in Barcelona, bringing together an international community of researchers, editors, and partners dedicated to advancing the field of virology.

Conference Highlights:

Viruses 2026 in numbers was as follows:

• 198 total registrations, with 171 attendees on site;
• 233 submissions, with 122 accepted;
• 42 short talks, nine flash talks, and 80 posters;
• 13 invited speakers and one keynote speaker.

The strong level of participation and quality of submissions once again demonstrate the relevance of the Viruses community.

A standout moment was Dr. Ho’s keynote lecture, which also attracted an NBC documentary film crew, highlighting the broader impact of the presented research.

Scientific Programme
The conference programme covered areas across modern virology, including viral replication, pathogenesis, immunology, and public health. Sessions explored topics on antiviral therapeutics and vaccines, innate immunity, virus–host interactions, and the structure and mechanisms of virus replication.

Together, these discussions highlighted both the fundamental biology of viruses and the translational challenges of addressing emerging infectious diseases, reflecting the breadth and continued importance of virology research in a global context. The programme also included a sponsored workshop on research data management in virology, further emphasizing the importance of data practices in advancing the field.

Feedback from participants has been very positive, and I would like to thank the Conference team for this year’s event organization and delivery.

Thank you to our Viruses journal team and all colleagues involved behind the scenes in supporting the event delivery. As noted by Dr. Eric Freed (EiC of Viruses), the success of this edition gives us strong momentum as we look ahead to the next conference in 2028, with opportunities to further expand participation and engagement.