A HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL 2007 TO ALL APSMV MEMBERS

As we usher in a brand new year, I wish all APSMV friends and colleagues a happy, peaceful and successful 2007! Firstly, allow me to introduce the new Executive Committee members and Country Representatives who were elected at the 7^th APCMV in November 2006:

President:                     Vincent Chow

President-Elect:            Malik Peiris

Past-President:             Ken Lam

Secretary:                     Paul Chan

Treasurer:                     Raymond Lin

Country Representatives:

Australia:          David Smith                  Brunei:              Jaliha Mohd Yusof

Cambodia:         Sirenda Vong                China:               Yiming Shao

Hong Kong:      Julian Tang                   India:                Sunil Lal   

            Indonesia:         Amin Soebandrio            Japan:               Hak Hotta

Korea:              Song Ki-Joon                Malaysia:          Shamala Devi

Myanmar:         Kyyaw Zin Thant          New Zealand:   Lance Jennings            

Pakistan:           Nusrat Jamil                  Philippines:        Fem Julia Paladin

Russia:              Dimitri Lvov                  Singapore:         Lynette Oon

Sri Lanka:         Sunil Chandra                Taiwan:            Chun Nan Lee 

Thailand:           Chantapong Wasi          Vietnam:           Phan Van Tu

We are happy to serve the regional virology community, and we gratefully acknowledge the sterling contributions of our immediate Past President Dr Ken Lam, all past ExCo members and Country Representatives. We also congratulate the 7^th APCMV Organizing Committee led by Dr Shobha Broor for the excellent efforts in putting together a splendid scientific program and enjoyable social events in New Delhi. We are extremely appreciative of all speakers and participants who have traveled all the way to Delhi to make this congress a spectacular success.

The incoming ExCo and Country Representatives will carry on the baton of working closely with our colleagues in our next host country Hong Kong led by Dr Malik Peiris to organize interesting scientific and social programs for the 8^th APCMV. It is fitting that the 8^th Congress will be held in Hong Kong given its world-class conference infrastructure and track record of hosting conferences, and landmark discoveries of emerging viral pathogens including H5N1 and SARS.

From its historical beginnings with the first congress held in Singapore in 1988, the fact that the Society has successfully organized 7 congresses so far is testimony to the strong commitment and interest of its members to the APCMV, a valuable focal point for regional virologists to update their knowledge, to network and collaborate. Furthermore, feedback on the pre-congress workshops has been very positive. One key aspect is the training of the next echelon of medical virologists who are desperately needed in the region. An APSMV Workshop on Viral Phylogenetics and Bioinformatics to be held in Hong Kong in 2008 is being organized by Dr Julian Tang and colleagues, specially targeted for virologists from developing countries in the region.

Heartiest and well-deserved congratulations to Drs Alan Hampson, Chan Soh Ha, Soe Thein and Wen Yu-Mei – the recipients of the 2006 APSMV Excellence Awards! At the next APCMV in Hong Kong, the Society will continue the tradition of giving APSMV Excellence Awards to honor senior virologists who have made outstanding contributions to the practice, research and/or development of medical virology in the Asia Pacific. Nominations are invited for these Awards. For the next congress, the registration fee will continue to include the fee for APSMV membership valid for three years, which will be reflected in the Certificate of Participation. Representatives from countries which have not yet hosted the APCMV are urged to put forward bids for consideration as the next host nation for the 2012 Congress.

We hope you will visit the Society’s website on a regular basis, and look out for workshops, conferences and other events that APSMV may co-organize in partnership with other organizations such as the International Society for Chemotherapy (Virology Section), International Vaccine Institute and Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative. The Society thanks Novartis for sponsorship of our website since 2004. This is your society – the ExCo welcomes ideas from members on how to develop a more active society to foster greater regional cooperation in the practice, research and training in medical virology to confront common threats and challenges together. Please do not hesitate to contact me or the other ExCo members if you have suggestions for improving the congress and workshops.

We look forward to seeing you all again in Hong Kong in 2009!

With best wishes,

Vincent Chow

President, APSMV