ISVM NEWS – December 2024
Season’s Greetings from the ISVM Executive and Scientific Boards
As the year comes to a close, we extend our warmest holiday wishes to all members of the International Society for Viruses of Microorganisms community. This season is a time for reflection, gratitude, and renewal, and we are incredibly thankful for your dedication to advancing the fascinating field of microbial viruses. Whether you are spending the holidays with family, and friends, or in the lab, we hope this season brings you joy, inspiration, and a well-deserved rest.
Looking ahead to the new year, we’re excited to continue supporting and celebrating the outstanding work of our global community. Happy holidays, and here’s to a fruitful and collaborative 2025!
Election Results
Meet your new ISVM Executive Board
Thank you to everyone who ran for office and voted — you are the heart of ISVM. Together, let’s continue promoting ISVM!
We are delighted to share the results of the recent ISVM Executive Board election! Your active participation, with 32% of our 1401 members voting, underscores the strength of our community.
Congratulations to all the newly elected members who will help shape the future of ISVM!
These remarkable individuals bring a diverse range of expertise and dedication to our society. Together with Lone Brøndsted as President and Zuzanna Drulis-Kawa as Member-at-Large, the new Executive Board will begin their term on January 1, 2025.
Elections like these remind us of the importance of member participation in guiding the direction of our society. By becoming an active member, you not only gain access to a global network of experts but also have the opportunity to contribute to key decisions that impact our society. We encourage all members to stay involved, and we warmly invite new colleagues to join ISVM to participate in future elections and initiatives.
President-elect
Rob Edwards, Flinders University, Australia.
Vice-President
Hany Anany, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, Canada.
Membership Officer
Cedric Lood, University of Oxford, Great Britain.
Treasurer
Tracy Peters, University of Idaho, USA.
Information Officer
Luis Melo, University of Minho, Portugal.
Website Administrator
Hugo Oliveira, University of Minho, Portugal.
Assistant Secretary
Katja Suster, Valdoltra Orthopaedic Hospital, Slovenia.
Industry Outreach Officer
Sandra Morales, Phage Consulting Pty Ltd., Australia.
Results of the ISVM Logo Design Competition
In September, ISVM invited our members to participate in the NEW ISVM logo design competition! This was a fantastic opportunity for creative minds to contribute to the visual identity of our International Scientific Society. We received 12 outstanding proposals from talented individuals across various countries (Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal, Slovenia, the UK, and the USA).
We are excited to announce the results of our recent ISVM logo competition! After careful consideration, we are pleased to reveal that one exceptional design has been selected as the winner: Curtis Spencer Hoffmann, the Project Assistant, Operation Outbreak from Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. The winning designer has not only created a new logo but also prepared a comprehensive brand book to guide our future branding efforts.
The primary colors of ISVM symbolize trust, reliability, and intelligence, reflecting society’s commitment to scientific advancement.
Atmospheric Blue
represents bacteriophages and the atmospheric environment.
Aquatic Blue
represents archaeal viruses and the aquatic environment.
Terrestrial Green
represents the viruses of microbial eukaryotes and the terrestrial environment.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winner and our sincere thanks to all participants for their creative contributions. Stay tuned for the official unveiling of our new logo and brand book!
Scientific Advisory Board Report Summary
2024 has been a very exciting year, with both the Viruses of Microbes conference in Cairns, Australia, and the iVoM online seminar series.
The ISVM Scientific Board (SAB) has contributed to organizing the scientific content of the VoM conference including selecting proposals, session topics, and invited speakers in collaboration with local organizers. During the conference, we assisted the organizers by judging presentations, chairing sessions, and gathering feedback. We have also hosted the online seminar series (iVoM) connecting researchers between conferences by recruiting moderators and speakers while ensuring diversity. Finally, we have helped create publishing opportunities to enhance ISVM visibility and ensured that the Society maintains our scientific independence from commercial interests.
ISVM Membership
The International Society for Viruses of Microorganisms boasts an impressive 1,400 members from nearly 200 different countries! We invite you to join this wonderful family, where we collectively redefine the possibilities and potential of the world of Viruses of Microorganisms.
Please spread the word, and encourage your colleagues and young scientists to join our global community of members.
ISVM sponsors
We are greatful to our sponsors for their invaluable support.
ISVM partners
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