HIV Cure Symposium
HIV stably integrated within the host cell genome is considered the final hurdle to cure one of the most important infectious diseases mankind has ever faced. Latent HIV reservoir is able to refuel infection once the treatment is stopped and therefore a better understanding of both, the composition and the size of this reservoir will be important to aid the development of cure strategies as well as to monitor the efficacy of therapeutic interventions to reduce the HIV reservoir. The HIV Cure and Reservoir Symposium will comprehensively summarize the state of the art in HIV cure strategies and diagnostic tools to monitor therapeutic interventions. The Symposium will take place in the picturesque city of Ghent, Belgium where an international expert panel will guide you through the newest developments in the HIV cure field, focusing on reservoir characterization and novel clinical strategies to achieve HIV cure.
Target audience
The symposium aims to attract a broad public of basic and translational researchers with an interest in HIV research or in other persistent infectious diseases.
Expected number of participants
150-200
Final program
Monday 16.09.2019
Speaker | Subject | |
---|---|---|
12.30-13.10 | Registration | |
13:10-13:30 | Linos Vandekerckhove | Welcome |
TREATMENT INTERRUPTION STUDIES: in search of a biomarker for Post Treatment Controle (PTC) |
||
13:30-14:00 | Eric Florence | Treatment interruption in patients with a low reservoir: ISALA study |
14:00-14:30 | John Frater | Biomarkers in treatment interruption studies |
14:30-14:50 | 2 selected abstracts | 2x10 min bullet presentation: R. Scutari L. Vandekerckhove |
14:50-15:20 | Coffee Break | |
UNMASKING THE VIRAL RESERVOIR : Themed discussion | ||
15:20-16:20 | Maria Buzon, Marion Pardon, Susan Pereira Ribeiro | Unmasking the viral reservoir for downstream analysis |
16:20-16:50 | 3 selected abstracts | 3x10 min bullet presentation R. Schober J. Janssens K. Gärtner |
16:50-17:00 | Round table and discussion | |
17:00-17:20 | Coffee Break | |
HIV TODAY: A RESEARCHER AND A PATIENT PERSPECTIVE | ||
17:20-17:25 | Linos Vandekerckhove | Announcement inaugural lecture |
17:25-18:00 | Guido Vanham | A lifetime search for eliminating HIV |
18:00-18:15 | Jonathan Bossaer | Positively Alive |
NETWORK RECEPTION |
Tuesday 17.09.2019
Speaker | Subject | |
---|---|---|
THE LAST HURDLE TOWARDS CURE | ||
09:00-9:30 | Meritxell Genescà | Resident memory T cells as source of viral reservoir |
09.30-10.00 | Monique Nijhuis | Results of the ICISTEM cohort |
10.00-10.20 | 2 selected abstracts | 2x10 min bullet presentation K. Held R. Verdikt |
10:20-10:50 | Coffee Break | |
THE ORIGIN OF PLASMA VIRUS | ||
10.50-11.20 | Lisa Frenkel | The active HIV reservoir during suppressive ART |
11.20-11.50 | Marie-Angélique De Scheerder | Identifying the source of plasma virus during analytical treatment interruption |
11.50-12.10 | 2 selected abstracts | 2x10 min bullet presentation K. Fisher L. Hebberecht |
12:10-13:30 | Lunch | |
BLOCK AND LOCK VS SHOCK AND KILL | ||
13:30-14:10 | Zeger Debyser & Carine Van Lint | Block and lock vs Shock and kill |
14:10-14:30 | 2 selected abstracts | 2x10 min bullet presentation U. Lange P. André |
14:30-15:00 | Round table and discussion | |
15:00-16:00 | Coffee Break + poster session |
|
IMMUNE CHARACTERISATION AND THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES | ||
16:00-16:30 | Philipp Adams | Phenotypically characterization of elite and viremic controllers |
16:30-17:00 | Ole Sogaard | Therapeutic vaccination/ Ab treatment to achieve a functional cure |
17:00-17:20 | 2 selected abstracts | 2x10 min bullet presentation W. van der Heijden V. Avettand-Fenoel |
17:20-17:30 | Linos Vandekerckhove | Closing Remarks |
08.00-09.00 | Registration |
The symposium will take place in
Auditorium Oehoe (E1.002)
Block E
Coupure Links 653
9000 Ghent

Abstract submission
Abstract submission will open from the 20th of March until 30th of July.
Abstract content and editing are the responsibility of submitting author. Organizers will review abstracts and selections will be made based on quality of content. Dissemination of the results will be made on August 15th. 4 abstracts will be selected for a short oral presentation at the symposium and those will be awarded with complimentary registration. All abstracts are assigned a poster number for poster presentation during a poster session during the meeting.
Abstract Format
• 2200 characters count including spaces. Also includes title, authors and affiliations.
• No email addresses, phone numbers, hyperlinks, keyword lists, comments, text or image boxes.
• Paragraph breaks between Title, Author & Institute, and abstract body.
• Arial, 11 point, black font.
• For Greek and Scientific symbols, use the Symbol option under the Insert tab in Microsoft Word (or equivalent option in other applications).
• Single spacing, one-inch margins, left justified.
• One abstract per submitting author per meeting. Submitting author and account name must match. Submitting author must be underlined.
Disclaimer
Submission of the abstract signifies consent to publication of the abstract in the Journal of Virus Eradication.
Abstract submission
To submit your abstract, please send an email to karen.vervisch@uzgent.be
ESCMID FUNDING
We also would like to emphasize that ESCMID is funding a selected number of registration fees. To apply for this funding, you can register for free via this link and send in your CV and motivation letter. If you experience problems, please contact William Caddy (william.caddy@escmid.org) or Karen Vervisch (Karen.vervisch@uzgent.be)