34th Annual Meeting of the Society for Virology

The 34th Annual Meeting of the Society for Virology (GfV), the most important virology conference in the German-speaking world, took place in Hamburg from March 4 to 6, 2025. Under the chairmanship of Prof. Thomas Dobner from the Leibniz Institute of Virology, around 1,000 scientists from all over the world came together to discuss the latest research findings.

The opening ceremony was introduced by words of welcome from Dr. Eva Gümbel, State Secretary of the Ministry of Science, Research, Equality and Districts of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, followed by contributions from other renowned personalities.

For four days, everything revolved around current developments in virology - from basic mechanisms of virus replication to clinical aspects of infectious diseases. The conference provided a platform for interdisciplinary exchange and promoted young scientists in particular through targeted programs such as the ACHIEVE program and sessions of the young GfV.

A highlight of the conference was the presentation of prestigious awards:

• GfV PhD Award 2025: Lu Zhang (Goettingen)​
• DZIF Doctoral Award of the GfV 2025: Dr. Caterina Prelli Bozzo (Ulm)​
• Loeffler Frosch-Award 2025: Dr. Kathrin Sutter (Essen)​
• Gertrude and Werner Henle Medal 2025: Dr. Hanna-Mari Baldauf (Munich)​
• Loeffler Frosch Medal 2025: Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas C. Mettenleiter (Greifswald)

Another highlight of the meeting were the keynote speeches by internationally renowned experts, who reported on the latest findings on emerging viruses, antiviral strategies and vaccine developments. In addition to specialist presentations and poster sessions, the meeting also provided an opportunity for networking - for example at the traditional get-together.

The conference was a great success and strengthened the visibility of virological research in Hamburg and beyond. Special thanks go to the organizers, whose commitment contributed to the smooth running of the congress.