2010 is the year of biodiversity. Is there something in the world more diverse and varied virus? With about 5000 known types and billions more without identity card, viruses abound in almost every terrestrial ecosystem and are among the most common biological entities on the planet. Perhaps it is precisely the abundance, diversity and importance to human health that has convinced Umberto Veronesi virus in devoting the 6th international conference on the future of science , to be held in Venice, September 19 to 21, thanks to Foundations Veronesi , Cini and Tronchetti Provera in collaboration with the ‘ Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC).
Viruses live or not live? The dilemma of the debate is more than a century. Viruses are just a set of genes contained in a box protein, too little to come right in the catalog of life. The rest do not eat, breathe and reproduce not only in their favor if hijack the machinery of a host cell. Yet the ability of these little parasites mutate and transform to the pressure of natural selection is equal or even superior to that of living fully.
The origin of the mysterious virus. Nobody knows exactly when and where was their beginning, and if it is produced once or more. Yet they are among the big engines of evolution. The challenges of continuing to launch other living organisms are a constant spur to change, and the pieces of DNA and RNA transport in and out from the cells leave lasting traces in almost every genome.
The popularity is not their forte. From colds to cancer to AIDS, not forgetting some legendary pandemic, viral infections often leave a positive memory. Whenever a virus is cops and robbers with our immune system, the game involves complications, diversions and twists worthy of a thriller. The defense system that protects us from viral infections has evolved over several millennia, in parallel to the cunning tricks that allow viruses to pass unnoticed through sophisticated surveillance systems. The dreaded virus to health is a major reason why scientists study them so deeply. Thanks to their work now have vaccines, drugs and preventive strategies in the last century have helped to change the list of causes of death, at least in rich countries.
In the rest of the world the power of the virus is still impressive and do not feel the effects only on people but also on plants and animals, namely the possibility to eat properly for billions of human beings. Over the past twenty years you have learned and done so much with knowledge that continue to accumulate ever-increasing speed. However, for many viral diseases, Ebola to influenza, FMD mouth disease to tomato mosaic, the final solutions are still far away. In the evolutionary race against viruses we fly great, but we continually challenged by these invisible creature sveltissimi, we have made extraordinary progress, and increase our defense capabilities in a way unthinkable a few years ago. And we also come to different viruses exploit to our advantage, making them valuable allies in the study and treatment of many diseases.
The conference program:
At the opening, Luc Montagnier and Robert Gallo , the two scientists who have made the biggest contribution to the discovery of the AIDS virus. For the first time together after years of fierce against the primacy of the discovery of HIV, Gallo and Montagnier will open with the conference, Sunday 19, with two lecture not to be missed.
20 Monday morning to discuss the evolution of viruses with Dorothy Crawford , microbiologist at the University of Edinburgh and author of ” The Invisible Enemy “which provided the title at the conference will continue with Nathan Wolfe , a virus hunter at Stanford ‘ Sub-Saharan Africa, and John Coffin , a professor at Tufts University and an expert on retroviruses leave traces in the genome of the guests.
Then pass the virus to plants and animals, Ilaria Capua , director of the FAO reference laboratory for Avian Influenza at the Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, who will speak of “one health”: how to study together for human and animal viruses better protect public health. Shivaji Pandey , Director of FAO’s Research, and Wilhelm Gruissem , a professor at ETH Zurich, concluded the morning talking about the battle against plant viruses as a strategy to defeat hunger.
Charles Rice , professor at Rockefeller University in New York, will speak of hepatitis C virus elusive, but the pernicious and lasting effects, Adolfo García-Sastre , co-director of global health lab emerging pathogens and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, will focus on pandemic influenza, Heinz Feldmann , head of the virology laboratory of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, will speak about emerging viruses, Alberto Mantovani , scientific director of ‘Clinical Institute Humanitas, Milan, will talk about viruses, immunity and challenges for the global spread of drugs and vaccines, Rino Rappuoli , director of research at Novartis Vaccines, will close the day telling how to design the vaccines of the global era.
Viruses and cancrosarà the theme with which Robin Weiss , professor of viral oncology at University College London, will open on Tuesday 21 symposium devoted to them by the Association for Research on Cancer (IARC). The morning continued with the intervention of Genevieve Franchini , National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, factors that favor the persistence of viruses in humans and development of tumors. Harvey Alter , “distinguished investigator of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, is the one who discovered the hepatitis C through the test he developed is now possible to control any contamination of donated blood, thus avoiding the 30% of hepatitis C virus infections, and any resulting tumors liver, which occurred prior to testing through transfusion. Inder Verma , professor at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, finally illustrate the role of viruses as “good”, the precious human allies in the study, prevention and treatment of many diseases including cancer.
In closing, on the afternoon of 21, a meeting on viruses in society. Ostfield Marc , Director of Policy and Global Issues for Europe and Eurasia of the U.S. Department of State, discussed the global fight against biological threats. Will follow the lecture by John McKenzie , a professor emeritus at Curtin University, Australia, who will discuss economic and social impact of viral infections, and Manuela Kron , Nestlé Italy, will discuss how companies manage risk disease. Close the conference Maximian Bucchi , Professor University of Trento, speaking of the representation of viruses and pandemics in the media.
