The 2024 return of the Asia Pacific Congress of Medical Virology
Published: 08 Jan 2025
Left to right: Dr Chia Po Ying, Dr Ooi Yaw Shin, A/Prof Justin Chu Jang Hann, Dr Tan Kai Sen, Professor Derrick Heng, Dr Tan Chee Wah, Dr Mookkan Prabakaran, Dr Mok Chee Keng.
The Asia Pacific Congress of Medical Virology (APCMV) 2024 took place from 19 to 21 November 2024 at the Expo in Singapore. This event was organized by the Asia Pacific Society of Medical Virology, with Assoc Prof Justin Chu Jang Hann from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at NUS Medicine serving as the society’s president.
The congress is chaired by Dr Tan Kai Sen from the same department, with a distinguished organizing committee that includes Dr Chia Po Ying from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), A/Prof Luo Dahai from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Dr Mok Chee Keng from A*STAR Infectious Disease Labs, Dr Mookkan Prabakaran from Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL), Dr Ooi Yaw Shin from Duke-NUS Medical School, and Dr Tan Chee Wah from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at NUS Medicine. This event was a key platform for experts in the field of medical virology to share knowledge, discuss emerging viral diseases, and collaborate on advancements in the discipline.
Conference Revival After 9 Years
Opening ceremony speech by Guest of Honor from Ministry of Health, Deputy Director-General of Health (Public Health) Professor Derrick Heng.
This edition of APCMV in 2024 marked a significant milestone as it successfully resumed after a 9-year hiatus, brought back through the concerted efforts of the organizing society Asia Pacific Society of Medical Virology (APSMV), generous sponsors, advisory board members, organizing committee, affiliates and volunteers.
Last held in 2015, this year’s event provided a renewed platform for scientists, researchers, and clinicians from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond to exchange knowledge, build collaborations, and discuss pressing matters on pandemic preparedness, in a post COVID-19 pandemic world. To mark the conference’s resumption, the organizing chair, Dr Tan Kai Sen, and APSMV president, Assoc Prof Justin Chu Jang Hann delivered opening addresses to kick off the conference, and APCMV2024 was officially launched by the Guest of Honor from the Ministry of Health, Deputy Director-General of Health (Public Health) Professor Derrick Heng.
A Tribute: Chan Yow Cheong Memorial Lecture
Chan Yow Cheong Memorial Lecture delivered by Professor Joseph Sriyal Malik Peiris.
The conference begins with one of its highlights, the Chan Yow Cheong Memorial Lecture, which honoured the distinguished, late Professor Chan Yow Cheong, who was instrumental in the founding of APSMV and APCMV conferences. The lecture was delivered by Professor Joseph Sriyal Malik Peiris from the University of Hong Kong and served as an opportunity to reflect on past contributions to the field while inspiring future innovation, especially in the age of rapid technological advancements that can be applied for virology research and pandemic preparedness.
Strong Global Participation
The conference, strongly supported and catalyzed by local public agency (Temasek Foundation), academic and research institutions (NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, A*STAR Infectious Diseases Lab), research programmes (NUS Medicine Infectious Diseases Translational Research Programme, Duke-NUS Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, and NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Respiratory and Infectious Diseases Programme) and professional societies (Asia Pacific Society of Medical Virology, and Singapore Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology), welcomed an impressive 300 attendees representing 25 countries.
The programme featured:
4 keynotes delivered by renowned experts in the field.
18 symposia featuring 35 invited speakers and 58 oral presenters, covering diverse topics of significance in virology, offering attendees a comprehensive overview of emerging trends and research advancements.
114 poster presentations showcasing more highlights of the latest research in the field.
Support from 50 exhibitors, showcasing cutting-edge technologies and solutions in the fight against viral diseases.
Collaborative Highlights: Joint Symposium and Discussion Forum
Launch of the inaugural Temasek Foundation Pandemic Preparedness Series ASEAN Forum.
A major success of APCMV 2024 was the collaborative network and platform nurtured via a joint symposium and a panel discussion forum. During APCMV2024, the Virology Joint Satellite Symposium by the Taiwan Society of Virology and Vaccinology and National Cheng Kung University was concurrently held, featuring focused discussion on the enterovirus and dengue virus, two major circulating viruses in the region. Another highlight of the highly collaborative conference is the launch of the inaugural Temasek Foundation Pandemic Preparedness Series ASEAN Forum. Catalyzed by the Temasek Foundation, the forum’s objective is to provide a sustainable platform for building an ASEAN network of professionals in medical virology and pandemic preparedness.
The forum featured policy-making panelist speakers from ASEAN countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines. It addressed key topics in evidence-based policymaking, focusing on fostering collaboration between scientists, clinicians, and policymakers to develop effective strategies for pandemic preparedness. It also promoted regional dialogue on future approaches to mitigate health crises.
Celebrating Young Scientists
The Young Investigator Award presented to 16 young scientists.
The conference also continued the tradition of APCMV in emphasizing support for young scientists, offering them a platform to showcase their research. 16 Young Investigator Awards were presented to outstanding young researchers, acknowledging the next generation of leaders in virology.
Looking Ahead
APCMV2024 concluded on a high note with an invitation to the next edition of APCMV in Gold Coast, Australia (2026/27).
