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The International Society for NeuroVirology (ISNV) [1] was founded to promote research into disease-causing viruses that infect the human brain and nervous system. The ISNV membership includes scientists and clinicians from around the world who work in the fields of basic, translational, and clinical neurovirology.
The ISNV was conceived during the 1st International Symposium on NeuroVirology, which was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, in 1997. The ISNV was officially established in 1998 as a non-profit organization by Kamel Khalili, Ph.D, with Brian Wigdahl, Ph.D., and Steven Jacobson, Ph.D., as its founding president and vice-president, respectively. The leadership of the Society has included:
| Term of office | President | Vice-President |
|---|---|---|
| 1998-2003 | Brian Wigdahl, Ph.D. | Steven Jacobson, Ph.D. |
| 2004-2009 | Peter G.E. Kennedy, CBE, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc. | Robert Fujinami, Ph.D. |
| 2010-2012 | Lynn Pulliam, Ph.D. | Avindra Nath, M.D. |
| 2013–2015 | Avindra Nath, M.D. | Igor Koralnik, M.D. |
| 2016–present | Igor Koralnik, M.D. | Ruth Brack-Werner, Ph.D. |
The ISNV provides an international forum for researchers and clinical scientists working in the field of neurovirology. By promoting collaborative interactions among scientists with common interests, the ISNV supports advances in the field of neurovirology and related disciplines. The goal of the ISNV is to promote basic science as well as the clinical application of knowledge to the prevention and treatment of neuroinflammatory and viral diseases of the nervous system. The mission of the ISNV is accomplished primarily through the organization and sponsorship of regular international meetings, and through the Society's official publication, the Journal of NeuroVirology. [2] Activities that support the mission of the ISNV include:
The ISNV currently has approximately 330 members, who collectively represent 15 countries around the world. Approximately one-quarter of its members reside outside the United States. Annual memberships are available to faculty members, research scientists, and clinicians who have interests in neurovirology. Post-doctoral fellows and students are also eligible to join (at a reduced membership rate).
The ISNV is managed through its board of directors, which meets bi-annually and in conjunction with the International Symposium on NeuroVirology. The board of directors is responsible for choosing the society's executive officers, which include a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. The president serves as the chief executive officer of the organization.
The current president of the ISNV is Avindra Nath, who took office in 2013. [4] Nath holds the position of intramural clinical director [5] of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The following committees, which are composed of ISNV members from around the world, carry out specific functions of the ISNV:
The ISNV regularly sponsors an International Symposium on NeuroVirology and concurrent Conference on HIV in the Nervous System. These meetings involve more than 350 basic and clinical scientists and trainees working in the areas of neurology, neuropathology, neuropathogenesis, neurobiology, neuroimmunology, neurochemistry, and molecular virology. Symposia have been held at locations around the world since 1997:
| Year | Meeting dates | Meeting title | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | May 5–7 | 1st International Symposium on NeuroVirology [6] | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| 1999 | June 6–11 | 2nd International Symposium on NeuroVirology (held as a Gordon Research Conference on Neurovirology [7] ) | Colby-Sawyer College, New London, New Hampshire, USA |
| 2000 | September 14–16 | 3rd International Symposium on NeuroVirology | San Francisco, California, USA |
| 2002 | June 19–22 | 4th International Symposium on NeuroVirology (held jointly with the 10th Conference on Neuroscience of HIV Infection) | Düsseldorf, Germany |
| 2003 | September 2–6 | 5th International Symposium on NeuroVirology and the HIV Molecular & Clinical NeuroScience Workshop | Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
| 2004 | September 11–14 | 6th International Symposium on NeuroVirology and the HIV Neuroprotection Workshop | Alghero, Sardinia, Italy |
| 2006 | May 30-June 3 | 7th International Symposium on NeuroVirology | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| 2007 | October 29-November 2 | 8th International Symposium on NeuroVirology | San Diego, California, USA |
| 2009 | June 2–6 | 9th International Symposium on NeuroVirology | Miami, Florida, USA |
| 2010 | October 12–16 | 10th International Symposium on NeuroVirology (held jointly with the 2010 Conference on HIV in the Nervous System) | Milan, Italy |
| 2012 | May 29-June 2 | 11th International Symposium on NeuroVirology (held jointly with the 2012 Conference on HIV in the Nervous System) | New York, New York, USA |
| 2013 | October 29-November 2 | 12th International Symposium on NeuroVirology [8] (held jointly with the 2013 Conference on HIV in the Nervous System) | Washington, D.C. |
| 2015 | June 2–6 | 13th International Symposium on NeuroVirology [9] (held jointly with the 2015 Conference on HIV in the Nervous System) | San Diego, California, USA |
| 2016 | October 25–28 | 14th International Symposium on NeuroVirology [10] (held jointly with the 2016 Conference on HIV in the Nervous System) | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
The overall goal of these meetings is to provide investigators working in the field of neurovirology and related areas with leading edge information so that important gaps in knowledge can continue to be identified. Armed with this information, attendees of both events work toward formulating questions and experimental directions that will enhance the development of new preventative and therapeutic strategies effective against neurologic diseases associated with prions, HIV, and other viral and non-viral pathogens.
The ISNV periodically publishes a newsletter, [3] which is distributed electronically to all members. The goal of the newsletter is to provide a forum through which information about current Society issues as well as "hot" news in the field of neurovirology can be disseminated.
The official journal of the ISNV is the Journal of NeuroVirology. [2] The Journal of NeuroVirology (JNV) provides a unique platform for the publication of high-quality basic science and clinical studies on the molecular biology and pathogenesis of viral infections of the nervous system, and for reporting on the development of novel therapeutic strategies using neurotropic viral vectors. The journal also emphasizes publication of papers on non-viral infections that affect the central nervous system. The journal publishes original research articles, reviews, case reports, and coverage of various scientific meetings, as well as supplements and special issues on selected subjects. The journal has been published by Springer [11] since 2011. [12]
The Pioneer in NeuroVirology award is presented by the ISNV in recognition of outstanding individual achievement in the field of neurovirology. Each International Symposium on NeuroVirology honors a worthy recipient of this award. Pioneers in NeuroVirology have been recognized by the ISNV since 1999. Recipients of the Pioneer in NeuroVirology Award include:
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is a part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). It conducts and funds research on brain and nervous system disorders and has a budget of just over US$2.03 billion. The mission of NINDS is "to reduce the burden of neurological disease—a burden borne by every age group, every segment of society, and people all over the world". NINDS has established two major branches for research: an extramural branch that funds studies outside the NIH, and an intramural branch that funds research inside the NIH. Most of NINDS' budget goes to fund extramural research. NINDS' basic science research focuses on studies of the fundamental biology of the brain and nervous system, genetics, neurodegeneration, learning and memory, motor control, brain repair, and synapses. NINDS also funds clinical research related to diseases and disorders of the brain and nervous system, e.g. AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.
The American Society for Microbiology (ASM), originally the Society of American Bacteriologists, is a professional organization for scientists who study viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa as well as other aspects of microbiology. It was founded in 1899. The Society publishes a variety of scientific journals, textbooks, and other educational materials related to microbiology and infectious diseases. ASM organizes annual meetings, as well as workshops and professional development opportunities for its members.
Neuro-ophthalmology is an academically-oriented subspecialty that merges the fields of neurology and ophthalmology, often dealing with complex systemic diseases that have manifestations in the visual system. Neuro-ophthalmologists initially complete a residency in either neurology or ophthalmology, then do a fellowship in the complementary field. Since diagnostic studies can be normal in patients with significant neuro-ophthalmic disease, a detailed medical history and physical exam is essential, and neuro-ophthalmologists often spend a significant amount of time with their patients.
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is a professional society, headquartered in Washington, DC, for basic scientists and physicians around the world whose research is focused on the study of the brain and nervous system. It is especially well known for its annual meeting, consistently one of the largest scientific conferences in the world.
Lynn W. Enquist is Professor Emeritus in Molecular Biology at Princeton University, as well as founding editor of the journal Annual Review of Virology. His research focuses on neuroinvasive alpha-herpesviruses.
Diane Edmund Griffin is the University Distinguished Professor and a Professor in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she was the department chair from 1994-2015. She is also the current vice-president of the National Academy of Sciences. She holds joint appointments in the departments of Neurology and Medicine. In 2004, Griffin was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in the discipline of microbial biology.
Richard T. Johnson was a physician and scientist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Johnson was a faculty member in the Department of Neurology since its inception in 1969 and was the former head of the department. His research into the effects of viruses on the central nervous system has been published in over 300 scientific articles, and Johnson was both a journal and book editor and the author of an influential textbook, Viral Infections of the Nervous System.
Opendra "Bill" Narayan was an HIV/AIDS researcher at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the University of Kansas Medical Center. A veterinarian, Narayan researched animal models of HIV. His focus on finding a vaccine for retroviral infection had some success against a monkey retrovirus, SIV, and he is best known for engineering a type of HIV that could cause AIDS-like disease in monkeys.
The Journal of NeuroVirology is a medical journal that publishes review articles on the molecular biology, immunology, genetics, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of CNS disorders with the goal of bridging the gap between basic and clinical studies, and enhancing translational research in neurovirology. It is published by Springer Science+Business Media. The Journal of NeuroVirology is the official journal of the International Society for Neurovirology.
Neurovirology is an interdisciplinary field which represents a melding of clinical neuroscience, virology, immunology, and molecular biology. The main focus of the field is to study viruses capable of infecting the nervous system. In addition to this, the field studies the use of viruses to trace neuroanatomical pathways, for gene therapy, and to eliminate detrimental populations of neural cells.
Avindra "Avi" Nath, is a physician-scientist who specializes in neuroimmunology. Nath is a senior investigator, and intramural clinical director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States. At NINDS, Nath also leads the Section of Infections of the Nervous System and plans to institute a translational research center. He previously served in several research and administrative positions at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Anne Buckingham Young is an American physician and neuroscientist who has made major contributions to the study of neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on movement disorders like Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease. Young completed her undergraduate studies at Vassar College and earned a dual MD/PhD from Johns Hopkins Medical School. She has held faculty positions at University of Michigan and Harvard University. She became the first female chief of service at Massachusetts General Hospital when she was appointed Chief of Neurology in 1991. She retired from this role and from clinical service in 2012. She is a member of many academic societies and has won numerous awards. Young is also the only person to have been president of both the international Society for Neuroscience and the American Neurological Association.
Joseph R. Berger is an American internist and neurologist who is known for his research interests in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), the neurological complications of HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and other inflammatory disorders of the brain. Particularly, he contributed research on why PML occurs more frequently in AIDS than in other immunosuppressive conditions.
ProfessorThomas Solomon is Professor of Neurology, Director of the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool, and Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections. In 2021 he was elected Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences.
The Liverpool Neurological Infectious Diseases Course is an annual two-day course aimed at medical professionals and students with an interest in neurological infectious diseases. The course is organised by the Liverpool Brain Infections Group, a division of the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool, in collaboration with the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Trust, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and is chaired by the neurologist Tom Solomon. It takes place during May at the historic Liverpool Medical Institution, in Liverpool, UK. A variety of both national and international speakers contribute to a programme which covers clinical aspects of common central nervous system infections such as meningitis and encephalitis, as well as rarer neurological infections and talks on recent advances in related research. The course is accredited by the UK Royal College of Physicians, and attracts delegates from many countries worldwide.
Rajiv Ratan is an Indian American academic, professor, administrator and scientist based in New York. He is the Burke Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine. Since 2003, he has served as the executive director of Burke Neurological Institute and as a member of the Council of Affiliated Deans of Weill Cornell Medicine.
Igor Koralnik is an American physician, neurologist and scientist. He is one of the first physicians to study the neurologic complications caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is a leading researcher in the investigation of the polyomavirus JC, which causes progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a disease of the central nervous system that occurs in immunosuppressed individuals.
Georgette D. Kanmogne is a Cameroonian American geneticist and molecular virologist and a Full Professor and Vice Chair for Resource Allocation and Faculty Development within the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neurosciences at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Kanmogne's research program focuses on exploring the pathogenesis of neuroAIDS by deciphering the mechanisms underlying blood brain barrier dysfunction and viral entry into the central nervous system. Her research also addresses the lack of HIV therapies that cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) and has played a critical role in the development of nanoparticles encapsulating HIV-drugs that can cross the BBB to prevent viral-mediated neuron death in the brain. Kanmogne collaborates with clinical and basic researchers across America, Cameroon, and West Africa, spanning disciplines from hematology to psychiatry, to explore how viral genetic diversity is correlated with the neurological impact of HIV.
Amanda Brown is an American immunologist and microbiologist as well as an associate professor of neurology and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Brown is notable for cloning one of the first recombinant HIV viruses and developing a novel method to visualize HIV infected cells using GFP fluorescence.
Howard E. Gendelman is an American physician-scientist whose research intersects the disciplines of neuroimmunology, pharmacology, and infectious diseases. Gendelman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is renowned for his research in harnessing immune responses for therapeutic gain in HIV/AIDS and Neurodegenerative disease. He is an author, editor, educator, and mentor.