Individual and population immunity to respiratory viruses
8-10 Nov 2023
Harbour Grand Hong Kong
Thank you to all attendees!
Overview
Immunity to respiratory viruses can be conferred by infections or by vaccinations, and immunity plays a key role in infection dynamics. At the individual level, immunity can prevent infections from occurring, reduce their severity if they do occur and may prevent transmission. At the population level, immunity can mitigate the public health impact of epidemics, and increasing population immunity through vaccination is the primary approach used to reduce the annual disease burden of influenza and COVID-19 in many parts of the world. In the near future, RSV vaccines will also be introduced. The objective of this meeting is to improve our understanding of individual and population immunity to respiratory viruses, and how these change over time, with direct implications for vaccination policies and other control measures.
Topics
In this scientific meeting, we will discuss the following questions relating to influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and other respiratory viruses:
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What are the available approaches to the measurement of immunity against respiratory virus infections in individuals?
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What are the immune correlates of protection against infection or severe disease and which of these are induced temporarily or permanently by prior natural infection or different types of vaccination?
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What is the role of mucosal immunity and how well does it correlate with protection and transmission?
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At the population level, what are the factors which contribute to increased susceptibility of populations to respiratory virus epidemics? This will include immunity in individuals, and may also include other host, viral and environmental factors and their interactions.
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How should we best deploy new and existing vaccines to reduce the impact of respiratory virus epidemics and pandemics?
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What are other immunological mechanisms relevant to the development and evaluation of the next generation of vaccines, including broadly protective “universal” vaccines? This will include updates on T cell-based vaccines and new vaccine platforms, and the role of adjuvants.
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How does imprinting affect individual and population immunity?
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How does viral evolution impact on population immunity?
Pre-conference CONSISE meeting
We have a pre-conference meeting which is the first meeting of the reinvigorated Consortium for the Standardization of Influenza Seroepidemiology, which will be held at The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong on Tuesday 7 November 2023. For those who are unable to attend in person, we will arrange zoom links. Please register here: https://consise.influenza.hk/
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Committees
Conference Chairs
School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Scientific Committee
School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infections Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, U.K.
Organizing Committee
School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infections Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Australia
Registration
Please register via the Conference Portal. You will need to create a user account at the Conference Portal to register for the conference. For step-by-step Conference Portal account creation guidelines, please click here.
After Conference Portal account creation, please use the same email address of the Conference Portal to create another payment account on The University of Hong Kong Financial and Enterprise Office Online Payment System (HKUOPS) to complete the payment. For step-by-step Payment guidelines, please click here.
Students
Student registration must be accompanied by valid proof of status. Students must upload a proof of status via the Conference Portal: the document must be issued in English. It can be a scan of your valid student ID card if issued in English or a confirmation from the Head of Department. The document should contain the same name and surname as your registration account and should contain an expiry date.
Student Travel Grant
The Student Travel Grant provides travel and participation grants to delegates in current full time study who wish to attend the conference.
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Application for the student travel grant is now closed.
Invitation Letter
Attendees who require a letter of invitation (e.g., for visa application), please contact the conference secretariat and quote your name and registration ID.
Delegates from Low and Middle Income countries
We are able to provide a reduced conference fee for a small number of delegates employed by or studying at organisations and institutions in low and middle income countries who wish to attend the Immunity 2023 Conference. Please contact the conference secretariat with your details prior to registration.
Cancellation policy
In case of cancellation by 8 October 2023, we will refund the delegate 50% of the registration fee. After that, no refund will be payable to the delegate.
Abstracts
Abstract submission is now closed.
We welcome any late-breaking abstracts related to individual and population immunity to respiratory viruses. Some examples include (but not limited to):
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measures of immunity (e.g. humoral, cell-mediated and mucosal immunity)
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measures of individual or population susceptibility
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measures of infection or disease severity
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measures of transmission
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immunity from natural infection or vaccination
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immune imprinting
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correlate of protection
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factors affecting population immunity and population dynamics
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prediction of epidemics and pandemics
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virus evolution, and interaction with immunity
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development of next-generation universal vaccines
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vaccination strategy and policy
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The deadline to submit or edit your late-breaking abstract(s) is 24 September 2023, 23:59 HKT. The presenting author of each abstract accepted for publication will be notified by email by 2 October 2023 23:59 HKT.
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For step-by-step late-breaking abstract submission guidelines, please click here.
Invited Speakers
Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases Unit, Institut Pasteur, France
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Australia
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, U.K.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Australia
Center for Global Health Science and Security, World Health Organization, Switzerland
Accommodation
You are welcome to book your own accommodation for your travel in Hong Kong. Please find the suggested hotel options near the conference venue here.
Location
Harbour Grand Hong Kong
23 Oil Street, North Point, Hong Kong (MTR Fortress Hill Station Exit A)
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Please click here for directions from Fortress Hill MTR station to Harbour Grand Hong Kong.