Virus Genomics and Evolution

We are pleased to announce our new conference: Virus Genomics and
Evolution. This meeting will provide a multidisciplinary forum for
scientists interested in the genomics and evolutionary analysis of
viruses and will address the fundamental questions of viral origins,
transmission and pathogenesis.

Virus genome sequencing is now widespread and the conference will
showcase advances in viral genomics, bioinformatics and sequencing
technology. Genomic studies have provided major insights into the
epidemiology transmission and pathogenesis of viral infections, and are
increasingly being applied to patient management and public health. The
conference will cover the genomics of epidemic and non-epidemic viruses,
emerging viral infections and pathogen discovery.

This meeting will bring together international participants working in
the diagnostic and public health communities, who are generating data
from clinical samples, with evolutionary biologists and
bioinformaticians, who are developing methods and models to interrogate
the genomic data.

The conference will start at approximately 13.00 on Wednesday, 8 June and
close at approximately 14.00 on Friday, 10 June 2016.

Scientific sessions

• Viral genome sequencing: diagnostics and public health
• Virus discovery
• Epidemics
• Evolution of pathogenesis
• Re-emerging viral infections

Scientific programme committee
Judith Breuer University College London, UK
Andrew Rambaut University of Edinburgh, UK
Emma Thomson University of Glasgow, UK

Keynote speakers
Ian Goodfellow University of Cambridge, UK
Ian Lipkin Columbia University, USA

Confirmed speakers
Kristian Andersen Scripps Research Institute, USA
Ellie Barnes University of Oxford, UK
Sarah Cobey University of Chicago, USA
Jan Felix Drexler University of Bonn Medical Centre, Germany
Christophe Fraser Imperial College London UK
George Gao Chinese Academy of Scicences,
China
Jennifer Gardy University of British Columbia,
Canada
Eddie Holmes University of Sydney, Australia
Paul Kellam Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK
Philippe Lemey Rega Institute, Belgium
Marion Koopmans Erasmus Medical Center, The Netherlands

Nick Loman University of Birmingham, UK
Oliver Pybus University of Oxford, UK
Anne-Mieke Vandamme Rega Institute, Belgium
Marco Vignuzzi Institut Pasteur, France

Conference organiser
Laura Hubbard Wellcome Genome Campus, UK

Registration Fees:

The registration fee includes entrance to the lectures and poster
sessions, an abstract book, meals (lunch and dinner) and refreshments
during the conference. Breakfast will be provided for delegates who have
booked accommodation.

Registration deadline: Closed

Accommodation
Accommodation is provided for the nights of 8 and 9 June 2016. Please
note: there is limited onsite accommodation and this will be allocated on
a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, early registration is
recommended.

If you wish to book onsite accommodation either side of the conference
dates, please contact the Conference Centre directly.

Travel visas
Contact the conference organiser if you require a letter to support a
travel visa application. Please note: letters will only be provided to
confirmed registrants.

Non-European Economic Area or Swiss nationals may be required to have a
visa to enter the UK.
Early application is strongly advised, as this process can take 6-8 weeks
or longer.

Please visit the following websites for further information:
UK Border Agency website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/

Information for general visitors and business visitors: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/business/business-activities/

A limited number of registration bursaries are available for PhD students
to attend this conference (up to 50% of the registration fee) from
Wellcome Genome Campus Scientific Conferences.

The following documents will need to be provided:

• Abstract
• CV
• Covering letter
• Letter from supervisor

To apply, please contact the conference organiser.

Bursary deadline: Closed

We welcome abstracts from all areas relevant to the main themes of the
meeting, for both oral and poster presentations. Several oral
presentations will be chosen from the abstracts submitted.

Please register prior to submitting your abstract. Please note: abstracts will only be considered from registered delegates.

The scientific programme committee will assess your abstract after the
deadline has passed and you will be notified whether you have been
selected for an oral or poster presentation.

Poster boards onsite will accommodate 118 cm high by 84 cm wide (A0-
portrait) of printed material. Accepted abstracts will appear in the
conference programme book and poster boards will be allocated at the
conference.

Abstract deadline: Closed

Abstract guidelines

• Format & Font: Prepare your abstract in Microsoft Word in 11-point Ariel Font.
• Title: The title should be concise and be in bold, sentence case.
• Author names: The presenting author’s name must be the first name to appear on the list of authors. Underline the name of the presenting author. For each author give the forename followed by the surname.
• Affiliations: Please list the authors and affiliations directly under the title, separated by one empty line, and followed on additional lines as necessary. Indicate each author’s affiliation with a superscript numeral following the surname.
• Abstract length: should not exceed one 1.5-spaced page. The total word limit is 400 words (to include title, authors, affiliations and abstract narrative).
• Abstract narrative: must be clear and concise. Clearly describe the problem you are addressing, the results to date and any conclusions you can draw from them, so that your abstract can be evaluated by the programme committee. Avoid saying in effect ‘a solution to XYZ problem will be presented’. Please ensure that your abstract is checked for correctness of spelling and grammar in advance of submission.
• Subheadings: Please avoid the use of subheadings in the abstract narrative.
• References: A separate list of references at the end of the abstract is not necessary.
• File name: should be the same as the surname of the presenting author.
• Download a sample abstract document (Microsoft Word), which can be used for formatting purposes.