Liana Monica Deac Graduated Medicine from University of medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. General Practitioner from 1979 to 1982 Clujana Hospital. She is a specialist for Infect. Diseases & Clinical Laboratory from 1987 to present. She is also a Senior Epidemiologist through 1993 to present. MD, PhD, First Degree Researcher and Scientist from 1996 to present. She is serving as a university Professor at Babes Bolyai University from 2004 to present.

Epidemiology

Maria Lazaro is a Pharmacist from Complutense University of Madrid. He/She(according to the author’s gender) holds advanced master’s in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Management works for Seppic in Human Biologicals department (adjuvants for vaccin...

animal health, vaccine manufacture, vaccine development

Pierre A. MORGON is CEO of MRGN Advisors and Regional Partner for Switzerland at Mérieux Développement. He is Chairman of the Board of Virometix, as well as Non-Executive Director to the Boards of Theradiag, of Eurocine Vaccines, and of Vaccitech. Pierre has over 30 years of experience in the global life science industry, especially with specialty care, vaccines and immunotherapy, at the helm of international operations, in C-level positions at global level in multinational corporations and as CEO of start-up companies. He is a lecturer in several MBA programs in world-class business schools and in life science conferences, and at the Mass Challenge biotechnology incubator in Switzerland. He holds a Doctorate of Pharmacy, a Master in Business Law and a MBA. He is also an alumnus of INSEAD and IMD.

Eurocine Vaccine, Vaccitech

Mario Rodriguez has his expertise in Virology and Bioprocess Development. Working with recombinants and their aplications against viral diseases as Influenza, Ebola and members of the Polyomaviride family like the newly discovered MCPyV. Scientist and Innovation manager with expertise in prototype technology projects that results in commercial technology (i.e. High fidelity DNA polymerase under commercialization, vaccines and Mononoclonal antibodies, licensed), advisor of technological companies in USA and Mexico. He is part in Mexico from SNI (National Researchers System) from CONACYT.

Virology

Presidential Chair - Florence Ely Nelson Arizona State University USA

A professor at Arizona State University, Arntzen is considered the godfather of a growing field of research sometimes called "pharming": engineering plants to produce specialized vaccines and other drugs. ZMapp, an injectable synthetic serum he helped devise using genetically engineered antibodies grown in tobacco plants, is currently the most promising drug treatment for people infected with Ebola. ZMapp still wasn’t approved for human use when it was given to two American health care workers who had been infected in Liberia last year, and Arntzen didn’t even find out about the real-life trial until after the fact. But by the time he got the news, the patients were showing rapid improvement, "which was very exciting," he says. Both recovered. Last fall, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services pledged up to $42 million in funding to speed the development of more serum. By February, there was enough supplies to begin clinical trials in Liberia and the U.S. Although the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has slowed, the threat of recurrence is real—and the risk of similar epidemics may be increasing. Pharming, which is now getting support from Big Pharma, could be the key to responding to future threats, providing a large supply of drugs or vaccines at epidemic speed.

Stephen Johnston is currently the co-director for the Center for Innovations in Medicine (CIM), a Professor in the School of Life Sciences, and Director of the Biological Design Graduate Program at The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. The CIM's and Dr. Johnston's current work focuses on innovative solutions to fundamental problems in biomedicine. The CIM is unique in that it has brought together a group of interdisciplinary scientists who first identify a problem, analyze the physical economy basis of the related issues and then come up with an inventive solution. Current major projects are 1) Cancer Eradication: The focus is on developing a universal, preventative cancer vaccine, 2) Health Futures: The aim is to produce a diagnostic system that allows continuous monitoring of the health status of healthy people - helping in the revolution to pre-symptomatic medicine. Dr. Johnston has experience in basic science, notably first cloning the Gal4 gene, showing that proteins have separable functional domains, and discovering the AAA proteins and their role in transcription. His focus now is in translational sciences and technology development. He was co-inventor/innovator of pathogen derived resistance, organelle transformation, the gene gun, genetic immunization, TEV protease system, expression library immunization, linear expression elements, synbodies and immunosignaturing. He is author of over 150 journal articles, has over 20 patents, and has garnered approximately $85M in grant support including large programs from DARPA, NIAID and NHLBI.

Drug targeting - vaccine technology - cancer treatment - presymptomatic diagnosis of cancers through identifying the biosignatures of disease

Pr. Frédéric Deschamps is a medical doctor since 1990 and he has completed his PhD of toxicology in 1993 at the University of Lille, France. He is the director of the Department of Occupational Health of the Medicine Faculty of Reims, France. He has published more than 40 papers in medical journals about occupational health and diseases.

Flu vaccines

Dr. Fouts joined Profectus in 2005 as one of the founders and the principle scientist. His responsibilities have been as a member of senior management to direct the team of scientists and technicians in the discovery and preclinical development of HIV vaccines, small molecule and antibody based antiviral therapies and microbicides that are within the Profectus research portfolio. He continues with that role as Senior Director of Virology. Dr. Fouts has 3 issued patents and numerous patent applications that form the vaccine and therapeutic technologies that are the intellectual property used to start Profectus BioSciences. Prior to joining Profectus, Dr. Fouts held a faculty position at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Dr. Fouts has more than 32 scientific publications that have appeared in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters. Dr. Fouts received his Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore and did a postdoctoral fellowship at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center (Director, Dr. David Ho) at Rockerfeller University in NYC.

HIV VACCINES

Dr. Zanetti is the Director of tumor immunology for the UCSD Center for Immunology, Infection and Inflammation. He directs the immunology course in the Biomedical Sciences graduate program.

principles of immunity for protection or discuss the state of the art of cancer vaccines.

Ravi Pottathil is President of Accudx Inc., a strategic technology and consulting company. Dr. Pottathil is an entrepreneur with a 40-year history spanning academia, industry, invention, and company creation. In 1996, Dr. Pottathil created Accudx as a diagnostic assay manufacturer. This company has progressed into consulting, technology and product development, and intellectual property services in biotech, medtech, and ecotech. His experience in academia and industry has covered various aspects of biochemistry, molecular biology, mammalian genetics, medical virology, tumor biology, and diagnostics, in both academic and industrial settings. As Chief Process Scientist at PetroAlgae, he was responsible for the development and scale up processes for growth, harvesting and processing of micro-algae. As a founding member and Director at Specialty Laboratories International, he successfully set up a large number of esoteric Clinical Reference Laboratories in Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, and India. This involved extensive project planning, technical training and technology transfer. As a Vice President of Life Sciences at XLTech Group, he was co-founder of a number of publically listed companies including Tyratech [www.tyratech.com], Petro Algae, [www.parabel.com] and Initio Fuels [www.initiofuels.com]. As an academician, he has extensive teaching experience that includes original research and teaching at The Jackson Laboratories, The Duke University, University Of Maryland, The City of Hope Medical Center, The Rutgers University, Ambala College of Engineering, India, A&F University, Yangling, China and Florida International University. He has a number of issued patents. Current active projects of Dr. Pottathil include “target specific nano-ablation” of cancer highly sensitive nanotechnology based Point of Care Devises for the early detection of infectious diseases such as dengue, malaria, HIV and TB. He is also leading research and development activities related to non-toxic natural essential oil based insect control and chelated micronutrient based enhanced biomass and food production. Dr. Pottathil is a graduate of Tata Cancer Institute in Mumbai, India. He completed his post-doctoral fellowships at The Jackson Lab, Bar Harbor, ME and Duke University, NC. He worked as a Senior Manager at Hoffman La-Roche and was instrumental in their diagnostics program. He is currently a visiting professor at Florida International Univ. Miami.

nano delivery systems, aptamers and nano formulations.

Marek Malecki MD PhD is President of the Phoenix Foundation, San Francisco, CA, USA, Principal Investigator at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA, and Visiting Professor at the University of Wisconsin. He earned the MD degree at the Medical Academy, Poznan followed by Residency/Fellowships in Molecular Medicine in Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Cancer Center, Vienna, and Cancer Center, Warsaw. He earned the PhD degree at the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw followed by the postdoctoral fellowships in molecular biology at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Salzburg, ETH, Zurich, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Cancer Center, Amsterdam, Biozentrum, Basel. Over the last 20 years, he held faculty positions in Oncology and Molecular Medicine at the leading teaching hospitals and medical universities in the USA including the UW, UCSD, and SDSU. There, he acquired solid experience in streamlining advances in genomics and proteomics into novel strategies of therapy, as well as in teaching medical students, residents, and fellows. During his career, he served as the president and CEO of the Phoenix Biomolecular and Foundation for Molecular Medicine. Since 1988 his research, as the Principal Investigator, was continuously funded by the grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. He is the first or senior author on the peer-reviewed publications in the high impact journals, which are indexed on the PubMed. He is the inventor of the gene therapies, therapeutic vaccines, and regeneration of tissues, which are published at the USPTO and WIPO. He was elected to serve as the Editor in Chief in peer-reviewed, open-access journals in Science, Technology, and Medicine, as well as Editorial Board Member and Reviewer at many others. Close OCM Member Michael Vajdy Co-founder Principal and Chief Scientific Officer Mucosal Immunologist and Vaccinologist EpitoGenesis, Inc. USA Biography Research Interest OCM Member William B. Smith, MD, FACC President of New Orleans Center Professor of Medicine University of Tennessee Medical Center USA Biography Research Interest OCM Member Gregory J. Tobin VP/R&D, Chief Scientific Officer Biological Mimetics, Inc. USA Biography Research Interest OCM Member Carmen Alvarez-Dominguez Director of Genomics, Proteomics and Vaccines Institute Marqués de Valdecilla (IDIVAL) Spain Biography Research Interest

Gene therapies, therapeutic vaccines, and regeneration of tissues

Marek Malecki MD PhD is President of the Phoenix Foundation, San Francisco, CA, USA, Principal Investigator at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA, and Visiting Professor at the University of Wisconsin. He earned the MD degree at the Medical Academy, Poznan followed by Residency/Fellowships in Molecular Medicine in Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Cancer Center, Vienna, and Cancer Center, Warsaw. He earned the PhD degree at the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw followed by the postdoctoral fellowships in molecular biology at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Salzburg, ETH, Zurich, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Cancer Center, Amsterdam, Biozentrum, Basel. Over the last 20 years, he held faculty positions in Oncology and Molecular Medicine at the leading teaching hospitals and medical universities in the USA including the UW, UCSD, and SDSU. There, he acquired solid experience in streamlining advances in genomics and proteomics into novel strategies of therapy, as well as in teaching medical students, residents, and fellows. During his career, he served as the president and CEO of the Phoenix Biomolecular and Foundation for Molecular Medicine. Since 1988 his research, as the Principal Investigator, was continuously funded by the grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. He is the first or senior author on the peer-reviewed publications in the high impact journals, which are indexed on the PubMed. He is the inventor of the gene therapies, therapeutic vaccines, and regeneration of tissues, which are published at the USPTO and WIPO. He was elected to serve as the Editor in Chief in peer-reviewed, open-access journals in Science, Technology, and Medicine, as well as Editorial Board Member and Reviewer at many others.

Vaccines for virus infected patients.

Dennis Christensen is a Head of Vaccine Delivery and Formulation Research Section at Statens Serum Institut. He is responsible for the vaccine formulation research. Designing novel vaccine delivery systems based on liposomes and research within mechanistic understanding of the vaccine delivery systems with relation to immunological efficacy.

• The use of liposomes and emulsions as delivery systems for immunostimulators and vaccine antigens. • Examination of how physicochemical properties of liposomes, emulsions and antigens as well as different delivery and delivery routing routes may affect the immunological result.

Dr. Frédéric Deschamps is a medical doctor since 1990 and he has completed his PhD of toxicology in 1993 at the University of Lille, France. He is the director of the Department of Occupational Health of the Medicine Faculty of Reims, France. He has published more than 40 papers in medical journals about occupational health and diseases.

Flu vaccines

Dr. Cyril Gerard Gay obtained a B.Sc. in Chemistry and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University, and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from The George Washington University. Dr. Gay has worked in the animal health research field for the last 25 years holding several positions of increasing responsibility in the federal government and the pharmaceutical industry. As Chief, Biotechnology Section, Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Dr. Gay developed the procedures for licensing molecular vaccines that led to the first license for a live recombinant vectored vaccine. In the pharmaceutical industry (SmithKline Beecham Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health) Dr. Gay led several cross-functional teams that successfully developed and licensed veterinary vaccines for companion animals and livestock. As Director, Global Product Development, Pfizer Inc., Dr. Gay developed strategic and tactical plans that interfaced R&D, clinical development, manufacturing, marketing, and product life-cycle management. Dr. Gay joined Agricultural Research Service (ARS), USDA, in 2002. Dr. Gay currently holds the position of Senior National Program Leader and provides program direction and national coordination for the Department’s intramural animal health research program, with focus on eight research laboratories located in Ames, Iowa, East Lansing, Michigan, Clay Center, Nebraska, Athens, Georgia, Orient Point, New York, Beltsville, Maryland, Pullman, Washington, and Manhattan, Kansas. Dr. Gay was the 2010 recipient of the USDA Secretary’s Honors Award for interagency response to the pandemic H1N1 influenza outbreak, and the ARS Special Administrator’s Award for outstanding and rapid research support for pandemic H1N1.

H1N1 influenza

Giulio Tarro graduated from Medicine School, Naples University (1962). Research Associate, Division of Virology and Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital (1965-1968), Assistant Professor of Research Pediatrics, College Medicine (1968-1969), Cincinnati University, Ohio. Oncological Virology Professor, Naples University (1972-1985). Chief Division Virology (1973-2003), Head Department Diagnostic Laboratories, (2003-2006). D. Cotugno Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Naples; Emeritus, 2006 -. Since 2007 Chairman Committee of Biotechnologies and VirusSphere, World Academy Biomedical Technologies, UNESCO, Adjunct Professor Department Biology, Temple University, College of Science and Technology, Philadelphia, recipient of the Sbarro Health Research Organization lifetime achievement award (2010). His researches have been concerned with the characterization of specific virus-induced tumour antigens, which were the "finger-prints" left behind in human cancer. Achievements include patents in field; discovery of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in infant deaths in Naples and of tumor liberated protein as a tumor associated antigen, 55 kilodalton protein overexpressed in lung tumors and other epithelial adenocarcinomas.

Clinical and laboratory applied, Virology basic and diagnostic, Viral Oncology, Immunology clinical practice,Vaccines.

Dr. Masoud H Manjili is an Associate Professor of Immunology at the Department of Microbiology Immunology Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and Member of Massey Cancer Center Richmond VA. He conducted his postdoctoral fellowship at Roswell Park Cancer Institute Buffalo NY 1999-2003. He has received a PhD in Immunology from The University of Sydney Australia 1993-1996. He has received a DVM from The University of Tehran Iran 1983-1990. He is serving as a Managing Editor of Frontiers in Bioscience.

Immunotherapy of tumor dormancy, Re-programming tumor-immune crosstalk to overcome tumor escape, Prognostic biomarkers for cancer, The adaptation model of immunity

Brian Abel received his Ph.D. in 2006 at the ETH, Zurich, and thereafter conducted a postdoctoral fellowship at SATVI, University of Cape Town, where he oversaw the immunological assessment of a novel TB vaccine in clinical trials and contributed to TB biomarker discovery. Brian completed an MBA at Tel Aviv University and ISB, Hyderabad, to facilitate a transition from academia into translational roles in biomedical science. Brian joined SIgN in 2012 to manage the Immunomonitoring Platform, conducting business development, project management and supporting finalization of agreements with industry partners, as well as acquiring regulatory approval for clinical research. He is also actively involved in Platform technology development in order to keep it up to date with the latest advances in the field of Immunomonitoring. In August 2016, Brian became the Head of the Immunogenomics Core to support and drive genomic activities for SIgN's researchers and facilitate collaborations with industry partners.

He is actively involved in Platform technology development in order to keep it up to date with the latest advances in the field of Immunomonitoring.

Pierre A. MORGON is Chief Executive Officer of MRGN Advisors, a consultancy dedicated to the healthcare sector, and Regional Partner for Switzerland at Mérieux Développement, an evergreen investment structure focused on medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and patient management services. He is also Chairman of the Board of Virometix (developing proprietary synthetic nanoparticle platform in vaccines and immunotherapeutic drugs for viral diseases and cancer), Non-Executive Director to the Board of Theradiag (focusing on in vitro diagnostics in auto-immunity, infectious diseases and allergy) and Non-Executive Director to the Board of Eurocine Vaccines (developing intra nasal vaccines). He holds a Doctorate of Pharmacy, a Master in Business Law and a MBA..

developing proprietary synthetic nanoparticle platform in vaccines and immunotherapeutic drugs for viral diseases and cancer. Focusing on in vitro diagnostics in auto-immunity, infectious diseases and allergy. Developing intra nasal vaccines.

Mark Tomai, PhD currently works in Business Development at 3M Drug Delivery Systems. He is responsible for licensing/development agreements involving its transdermal product offerings including 3M’s microneedle platform and also licensing its toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and 8 agonists for a variety of uses. Dr. Tomai spent 16 years working in 3M Pharmaceuticals in Drug Discovery and Preclinical Development. He is an expert on TLR7 and TLR8 agonists and an author on over 80 publications and inventor on 12 issued patents in this area.

TLR7 and TLR8 agonists

Professor Barry Buckland has a PhD in Biochemical Engineering from University College London, obtained in 1974. He joined the Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) in 1980 and built a world class Bioprocess R&D group. He has been the leader of process development of all biologically made product candidates within the MRL pipeline and manufacture of Clinical Supplies during the past 20 years.Dr. Buckland has over 70 publications in Peer reviewed journals. Dr. Buckland holds PhD in Biochemical Engineering at University College London, in 1974. He has a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Manchester, UK.

Barry Buckland is an experienced International expert for the Development of Biologic products with a special focus on vaccines and Therapeutic proteins.

Dr. Gay obtained a B.Sc. in Chemistry and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University, and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from The George Washington University. Dr. Gay has worked in the animal health research field for the last 25 years holding several positions of increasing responsibility in the federal government and the pharmaceutical industry. As Chief, Biotechnology Section, Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Dr. Gay developed the procedures for licensing molecular vaccines that led to the first license for a live recombinant vectored vaccine. In the pharmaceutical industry (SmithKline Beecham Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health) Dr. Gay led several cross-functional teams that successfully developed and licensed veterinary vaccines for companion animals and livestock. As Director, Global Product Development, Pfizer Inc., Dr. Gay developed strategic and tactical plans that interfaced R&D, clinical development, manufacturing, marketing, and product life-cycle management. Dr. Gay joined Agricultural Research Service (ARS), USDA, in 2002. Dr. Gay currently holds the position of Senior National Program Leader and provides program direction and national coordination for the Department’s intramural animal health research program, with focus on eight research laboratories located in Ames, Iowa, East Lansing, Michigan, Clay Center, Nebraska, Athens, Georgia, Orient Point, New York, Beltsville, Maryland, Pullman, Washington, and Manhattan, Kansas. Dr. Gay was the 2010 recipient of the USDA Secretary’s Honors Award for interagency response to the pandemic H1N1 influenza outbreak, and the ARS Special Administrator’s Award for outstanding and rapid research support for pandemic H1N1.

H1N1 influenza

In 2001 Dr Rob Lambkin-Williams designed and implemented the first Human Viral Challenge Study to be conducted in Europe in the 21st century. He has designed and supervised in excess of 40 studies conducted at Retroscreen Virology since 2001, and has been the Principal Investigator on many. Rob joined Retroscreen Virology in 1995 as a Senior Scientist and is now the Chief Scientific Officer. Rob completed his PhD in Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) at the University of Warwick in 1993 - long before it became a popular news item. He often is the first media point-of-contact regarding Avian Influenza and other virus-related topics. Rob is an expert in respiratory viruses and HIV; he has co-authored many papers including a recent paper in the Nature Medicine journal, which has reset our understanding of the immune response to Influenza, and forms the basis of the RSV’s recent patent application for a universal Influenza vaccine. One of Rob’s key achievements was the establishment of the RSV Human Viral Challenge Model that led to the first proof of concept of a new type of therapeutic agent (known as a siRNA) against an infectious disease. He was the senior author on the paper that described the establishment of the model, which was published in the prestigious American Thoracic Society’s Blue Journal. Other notable achievements include the first study to demonstrate the efficacy of a novel DNA-based vaccine against Influenza, and also a series of studies that dissected the human body’s early response to infection and thus could help develop new highly sensitive diagnostic techniques or antiviral targets.

Antiviral and vaccine drug developmen

Giulio Tarro graduated from Medicine School, Naples University (1962). Research Associate, Division of Virology and Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital (1965-1968), Assistant Professor of Research Pediatrics, College Medicine (1968-1969), Cincinnati University, Ohio. Oncological Virology Professor, Naples University (1972-1985). Chief Division Virology (1973-2003), Head Department Diagnostic Laboratories, (2003-2006). D. Cotugno Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Naples; Emeritus, 2006 -. Since 2007 Chairman Committee of Biotechnologies and VirusSphere, World Academy Biomedical Technologies, UNESCO, Adjunct Professor Department Biology, Temple University, College of Science and Technology, Philadelphia, recipient of the Sbarro Health Research Organization lifetime achievement award (2010). President Foundation de Beaumont Bonelli for Cancer Research.

Clinical and laboratory applied, Virology basic and diagnostic, Viral Oncology, Immunology clinical practice,Vaccines.

Dr. Pascal Breton, Ph.D. serves as Chief Executive Officer of VitamFero S.A. and has been its President since January 2009. His Interest in various fields includes Biotechnology, R&D, Business Development, Drug Development, Pharma/Clinical Development, Drug Discovery and Formulation and Vaccines. Before founding and heading VitamFero, Dr. Pascal Breton worked as Global Key Account Manager Biotech at SGS Life Science Services (Belgium), Director Business Development at IDM Pharma (France and USA), Director R&D at Halisol (France) and Project Leader at UPSA (a French BMS subsidiary). Dr. Pascal Breton holds a Ph.D. from University of Orléans (France) in 1989

Biotechnology, R&D Business Development, Drug Development, Clinical Development, Drug Discovery, Vaccines.

Nathalie Garçon, PharmD, PhD is currently the chief executive (CEO) and scientific officer (CSO) of BIOASTER. She joined BIOASTER, the French technology research institute for infectiology and microbiology as chief scientific officer in July 2014.In this role, Dr Garcon directs the scientific aspect of the institute with the objective of accelerating the access to new technologies in infectious diseases that patient can benefit from. She was promoted to CEO in April 2015.Following the successfulcompletion of two PhDs, one in biological pharmacy and the other in immunotoxicology and immunopharmacology, Dr Garçon moved to the UK for 1 year as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Royal Free Hospital in London, undertakingresearch on liposomes in vaccines. She then moved to the USA where she spent 4 years at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, first as a postdoctoral research fellow, then as assistant professor, working on vaccine delivery systems and immunopotentiators. Dr Garçon joined SmithKline Beecham Biologicals now GlaxoSmithKline vaccines in 1990, where she set up and led the vaccine adjuvant and formulation group. She moved from this position, to head of technologies, head of research, vicepresident, head of global research and north America RD; and vice president, head of the global adjuvants and delivery systems centre for vaccines. In her last role within GSK vaccines before joining BIOASTER, Dr Garçon hold the position of vicepresident, head of adjuvants and technologies innovation centre, she provides leadership within GSK Biologicals in the fields of new vaccines technologies, from discovery to registration and commercialisation. Nathalie Garçon is Vice Presidentand Head of Global Adjuvant and technologies innovation centre at GSK vaccines Dr Garçon expertise in vaccinology extends from research to manufacturing, in particular immunology, adjuvant, formulation and innovation technologies, analyticalmethods, pre-clinical experimentation and toxicology/safety evaluation, regulatory and licensure and testing. Dr Garçon is the 2014 laureate of the Stanley Plotkin award for vaccines and vaccine technologies. She has authored over 60 papers andbook chapters, is the editor of several books, and sit at the scientific committee of several journals. She holds more than 100 patents.

vaccine adjuvant, Vaccine delivery systems and immunopotentiators.

Ger Rijkers (1952) is a medical immunologist and professor in Biomedical and Life Sciences at Utrecht University. He is the head of the Science Department of University College Roosevelt in Middelburg, The Netherlands. He also works as a senior scientist at the Laboratory of Medical Microbiology and Immunology of the St. Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein. Ger Rijkers has a broad research interest with emphasis on mucosal immunology, immunoregulation (in autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases and infections), interaction between gut microbiota and the immune system, and, last but not least, vaccination. Rijkers has published over 300 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He published (as editor in chief) the textbook “Immunologie” (ISBN978 90 313 4263 1). He is member of the Editorial Board of Beneficial Microbes and of Pneumonia.

Ger Rijkers has a wide research interest with emphasis on mucosal immunology, immunoregulation (in autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases and infections), interaction between gut microbiota and the immune system, and vaccination.

Geert Vanden Bossche obtained his DVM at the Veterinary Faculty of Ghent and his PhD in Virology at the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart. Following his postdoctoral training in Virology, Immunology and Molecular Biology at the Free University of Berlin and the University of Hohenheim (Germany), where he subsequently held adjunct faculty appointments, he transitioned to the Vaccine Industry to serve various senior roles in both early and late vaccine development. He then joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle to serve as Senior Program Officer in Vaccine Discovery for Global Health. Furthermore, Geert also founded UNIVAC, coordinated the Ebola Vaccine Program on behalf of GAVI and serves as a visiting scientist at the REGA Institute, University of Leuven (Belgium). Geert is board certified in Virology and Microbiology, the author of over 30 publications, and inventor on a patent application for universal vaccines. He has presented vaccine- and adjuvant-related topics at multiple international congresses.

Vaccine adjuvants, critical assessment of novel vaccine approaches or technologies, Vaccine development, immunopathogenesis of infectious and immune-mediated, noninfectious disease.

Eduard Karamov, PhD., DrSc, is involved in retrovirology research since 1985. The first Russian HIV strain was isolated in his laboratory. He supervised the development of first diagnostic tests for HIV, which were widely used in USSR and Russia, and antivirals used for AIDS treatment. He published over 100 articles in scientific journals and made over 100 presentations at international conferences and symposia. Professor Karamov authored four monographs and a textbook on virology. He was a supervisor in sixteen Ph.D. and Dr.Sci. fellowships. His lab served as a probation site for many scientists of the former USSR and Eastern Europe. He was a member of the Advisory Board of the Russian AIDS Vaccine Program. He is a member of the Vaccine Advisory Committee (VAC) of WHO and a UNAIDS scientific expert panellist. He is an academic editor of Medicine and a member of the Editorial Board of AIDS and Lancet HIV, as well as of several Russian peer-reviewed journals. He serves as a Chairman of the Biomedical Commission of the Committee for Science and Innovation of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. His honours and awards include: Award of the USSR Council of Ministers 1981, USSR Exhibition of Economic Achievements Medals (Silver 1986, Gold 1988), Science Award of the Government of the Russian Federation, 2008, Zhdanov Award of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, 2009, and Gold Cross of the Federal Medico-Biological Agency of Russia, 2012.

Antivirals, Vaccines, Molecular epidemiology of HIV, HIV prevention

Giulio Tarro graduated from Medicine School, Naples University (1962). Research Associate, Division of Virology and Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital (1965-1968), Assistant Professor of Research Pediatrics, College Medicine (1968-1969), Cincinnati University, Ohio. Oncological Virology Professor, Naples University (1972-1985). Chief Division Virology (1973-2003), Head Department Diagnostic Laboratories, (2003-2006). D. Cotugno Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Naples; Emeritus, 2006 -. Since 2007 Chairman Committee of Biotechnologies and VirusSphere, World Academy Biomedical Technologies, UNESCO, Adjunct Professor Department Biology, Temple University, College of Science and Technology, Philadelphia, recipient of the Sbarro Health Research Organization lifetime achievement award (2010). President Foundation de Beaumont Bonelli for Cancer Research.

Clinical and laboratory applied, Virology basic and diagnostic, Viral Oncology, Immunology clinical practice,Vaccines.

René Labatut is commited since 26 years to the biotech industry with deep experience in CMC management in biopharmaceutical industry from research & development to manufacturing in highly regulated environment (US, EU, Japan, China, ...). He has developed a worldwide international skill set in Innovation, technology transfer, licensing in and out, and acquisition - integration management. He is the Vice President of Manufacturing Technology of Sanofi Pasteur the vaccines division of Sanofi. He has delivered numerous speeches in reputed conferences and has been serving as a steering committee member of Center for Biomedical Innovation at MIT. He has brought significant contribution to several key healthcare product developments like Ceredase, Thymoglobulin, hexavalent pediatric, Flu and Dengue vaccines . René holds a PhD in biochemistry, Master in bioengineering from National Institute of Applied Sciences (Lyon, France) ; Master in molecular biology from Lyon I University ; and Master in business from Lyon III University

Vaccines

Akira Homma was born on August 12, 1939, in President Wenceslau, São Paulo, son of Harusi Homma Homma and Koyuki. The Adolfo Lutz Institute in São Paulo, came to the Pan American Center for Foot-in Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, in 1961. He graduated in Veterinary Medicine in 1967 from Universidade Federal Fluminense. Soon joined Fiocruz, to work on Polio Laboratory of the Department of Biological Sciences, School of Public Health Foundation, along with Hermann Schatzmayr. In 1972, he obtained the degree of Doctor of Science at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, United States, with the thesis "Experimental studies of using coil filter for concentration of sewage virus." Akira Homma points out in his interview, that the thesis of Oswaldo Cruz was also on dissemination of infectious agents via water, and their study is about viruses and the Oswaldo Cruz on bacteria. Worked in the Laboratory Bayer in Germany in the production of vaccines against foot and mouth disease in the year 1974. Later, from 1990 to 1991, he coordinated the National Program for Self-Sufficiency in Immunobiology (Pasni), the Ministry of Health, and this year until 1997 coordinated the Special Program for Vaccines and Immunization PAHO. He was superintendent and director of the Institute of Technology in Immunobiology of Fiocruz (Bio-Manguinhos), 1976-1989, president (1989-1990) and Vice President of Fiocruz Technology (1997-2001). Responsible for structuring Bio-Manguinhos, articulated agreements with Japanese institutions aiming at the production of oral polio vaccine and other vaccines. Throughout its history the institution has exercised the activity of teaching and research, with numerous publications and participation in scientific events. In 2001 he was elected director of Bio-Manguinhos, a position in which it remains until today.

vaccines

Emmanuel Drouet, is professor of Virology at the University of Grenoble-Alpes (France), and previously served as a biomedical pathologist in the Institut Pasteur (Lyon, France). Dr Drouet’s research investigates the persisting viruses in human (RNA and DNA viruses) and the balance with our host immune system. He focuses on their effects on humans (both their impact in pathology and their symbiotic relationships in humans).. Emmanuel Drouet has an excellent track record in herpesvirus field, and his group is engaged in clinical research in the field of EBV diseases. Current research included the field of Hepatitis C Virus research, leading to elucidation of some aspects of its epidemiology and control.

Current research included the field of Hepatitis C Virus research.

Marc P Girard received his doctorate in veterinary medicine at Paris University in 1960, and his doctorate in Science in 1967, also in Paris. He trained for three years in the molecular biology of poliovirus as a Post-doctoral Fellow in the USA with Pr James Darnell, Renato Dulbecco and David Baltimore. He went on studying the molecular biology and genetics of poliovirus, then SV40 and adenovirus, before moving to HIV. He was a visiting professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Pr Hurwitz), the NIH (Dr Anthony Fauci), the Salk Institute in La Jolla (Pr David Baltimore) and Duke University (Pr Bolognesi). He worked for the last 20 years of his career on the development of an HIV vaccine.
Pr Girard was the Director General of the Mérieux Foundation in Lyon from mid 2001 to end of 2004. He previously was the Director of the Center for Research in Immuno-Virology (CERVI) in Lyon, France, which includes the BSL4 Virology Laboratory that was operated jointly by the Mérieux Foundation and the Pasteur Institute, and the Federative Research Institute on Virology, Immunology and Pathology of Emerging Diseases (IFR 74), a research laboratory of the French National Health & Medical Research Institute (INSERM).
Among the positions held by Pr Girard prior to his appointment in Lyon were Head, Department of Virology, and Professor, Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Institut Pasteur, Paris (1980-1999); Scientific Director (CSO), Pasteur Vaccins, a joint industrial subsidiary of the Pasteur and Mérieux Institutes (1984-1990); Vice-Director of the Pasteur Institute, Paris (1990-92), Professor of Virology and Molecular Biology at University Paris 7 Denis Diderot, Paris (1974-1984; on leave until 2001).
Pr Girard was the Chairman of the Concerted Action “Vaccines” at the French National AIDS Research Agency (ANRS) from 1988 to 1998. He then chaired the E.U. HIV Vaccine Initiative “EuroVac”, an international AIDS vaccine Research Consortium which grouped together 21 European laboratories participating in comparative Phase I clinical trials of candidate HIV vaccines in human volunteers.
Marc Girard went on official retirement on 31.12.2004 but he has remained active, teaching, giving talks and writing review articles on vaccines as an Honorary Professor at University Denis Diderot (Paris 7). He also is a member of the French National Academy of Medicine and of the French Veterinary Academy. He has been the organizer of the “Cent Gardes Conference” on HIV Vaccines since 1986.

Vaccine Research

Luigi Aurisicchio, PhD, received his Laurea in Biology in 1996 at the University of Napoli "Federico II". At the Stazione Zoologica A. Dohrn in Napoli characterized signal transduction mechanisms in thyroid cancer. In 1997, joined IRBM/MRL focusing on the development of gene therapy approaches for the cure of viral hepatitis. Subsequently contributed to the approval and development of Cancer Vaccine program, being Research Group Leader in the last 5 years. His research interests include the discovery, characterization and engineering of novel tumor associated antigens for cancer vaccines, but also intratumoral delivery of siRNAs, generation of novel monoclonal antibodies and development of Oncology pre-clinical models. Has published >60 papers in peer reviewed International Journals and is author of 8 patents.

His research interests include the discovery, characterization and engineering of novel tumor associated antigens for cancer vaccines, but also intratumoral delivery of siRNAs, generation of novel monoclonal antibodies and development of Oncology pre-clinical models.

Professor Timms is a nationally and internationally renowned microbiologist with specific expertise in the area of Chlamydia. His laboratory is acknowledged as the leading Australian laboratory and one of the leading groups internationally working on all aspects of chlamydial infections

His research group is developing vaccines and new diagnostics for chlamydial diseases in humans and animals as well as an improved understanding of chlamydial genomics, cell biology and pathogenicity.

Giampietro Corradin graduated in chemistry at the University of Padua and received his PhD degree in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara, after completion of a thesis on the structure and function of cytochrome c. After a post-doctoral position in biochemistry at Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, he continued his training in molecular immunology at the National Jewish Hospital, Denver, Colorado. He joined the Institute of Biochemistry in 1979 where he was an Associate Professor. For the last 15 years the main focus of his laboratory has been the elucidation of the immunological mechanisms of protection in malaria using well-defined animal models. In addition, development of vaccine candidates has been actively pursued by introducing new and faster approaches for the identification, production and development of novel malaria vaccine candidates.

MALARIA: SEARCH OF ANTIGENS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROTECTIVE VACCINES

Graduated in Medicine and Surgery from Bangladesh in 1980 and received PhD in Medical Sciences from Japan in 1993. Being a post-graduate fellow from 1994-1996, worked as full faculty member at the Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Japan, from 1996-2008. In 2008, joined Toshiba General Hospital, Tokyo, Japan as Principal Investigator. Worked to elucidate pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma; subsequently developed therapeutic vaccine for HBV transgenic mice and now have been conducting pilot studies and clinical trials in patients with CHB with Therapeutic Vaccines for last one decade to optimize a safe, effective and clinical viable regimen of this approach in CHB patients. Have authored more than one hundred scientific articles in peer-reviewed journal. Associated with all major international and local liver organizations.

Immunology, Immune therapy, Heptatitis, Gastroenetrology, Hepatology, Dendritic cells.

XL Lin serves as Director of Market Development for Esco Group. He founded and manages the Esco Pharma Division within the Esco group of companies in 2009 developing the companies’ very first cGMP Downflow/Containment Booths and Isolation systems from Concept Development to Sales, Project management, site-work and validation. Under his leadership Esco Pharma has expanded from just a small division to now having 3 factories globally in USA/ UK and Singapore. He brings his unique skillset in social entrepreneurship, market development, strategic product development, global alliance networking, sales/contract management, clean air/containment facility and systems design / integration into VacciXcell. XL Lin graduated with a Bachelor of Sciences from University of Sydney he is currently pursuing various options for further studies.

New products, New markets, New technology, Networking with new potential hires with industry experience

Dr. Srivastava joined Protein Sciences in 2012 as Vice President, Product Realization. He has a strong background in vaccine development, particularly in immunogen design, purification, analytical and formulation development, and has published extensively in these areas. Dr. Srivastava served on the NIH special emphasis study section focused on vaccine development for ten years, and in 2011 he co-edited the book, "Development of Vaccines: From Discovery to Clinical Testing." Previously, Dr. Srivastava spent more than twelve years at Chiron Corporation/Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Inc. in various capacities, including Head (AI), Protein Biochemistry; Head, Vaccine Manufacturing; and Head, Protein Expression and Analytics. He also spent about two years at the Vaccine Research Center, a division of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where he led the purification, analytical and formulation development of vaccine candidates for clinical evaluation. Prior to joining the biotechnology industry, Dr. Srivastava was an Assistant Professor of Research in Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. He holds a Ph.D. from the Kanpur University, India and completed his post-doctoral training with Prof. Luc Perrin at the Hospital Cantonal, University of Geneva, Switzerland.

Vaccine development

Dr. De-chu Christopher Tang is the Founder of VaxDome LLC and Vaxin Inc. (Vaxin’s nameplate was changed to Altimmune, Inc. in 2015). He obtained his PhD in Microbiology from Indiana University in 1989. He carried out his postdoctoral work at Baylor College of Medicine, Duke University, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He joined the faculty at University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 1994; subsequently founded Vaxin Inc. on UAB campus in 1997; and was responsible for Vaxin’s daily operation as the Chief Scientific Officer until 2012. Dr. Tang was one of the pioneers during the development of DNA vaccines, noninvasive skin-patch vaccines, adenovirus-vectored nasal vaccines, adenovirus-vectored poultry vaccines, as well as the protective innate-adaptive immunity duo platform technology. He received the Wallace H. Coulter Award for innovation and entrepreneurship in 2000; and Vaxin Inc. was selected as a Tech Museum Awards Laureate in 2007. Dr. Tang was selected as a Distinguished Overseas Scientist by the South Korea KOFST Brain Pool Program in 2012; subsequently joined Chung-Ang University and International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul; and was appointed as a Scientist at IVI after the Brain Pool Program Award expired in 2013. He founded VaxDome LLC in Birmingham, Alabama, USA in 2014.

His research focuses on development of the non-invasive drug-vaccine duo (DVD) platform technology that confers rapid-sustained-broad protection of vaccinees against pathogens, with neither the potential to induce drug resistance nor that to trigger harmful systemic inflammation.

Yuzhang Wu has completed his Ph.D for Immunology at the age of 29 years from Third Military Medical University School of Medicine. He is the director of the Institute of Immunology, PLA, the Chair of National Engineering Lab for Vaccine Development of China and National Center for Immunoproducts Research and Development of China. He has published more than 150 papers in reputed journals, applied for 75 international and national invention patents, among which 43 has been approved; and has gained 2 item of Computer software copyright. He is serving as chief-editor of Immunological Journal.

Immunology