About us ...
The Virus Division is an association of invertebrate virologists who aim to support basic and applied research on insect viruses.
The Virus Division is...
- A forum of virologists, molecular biologists, cell biologists, epidemiologists, ecologists, phytochemists to discuss and exchange ideas, knowledge and experience on the biology of insect viruses and their application in pest management.
- A source for people involved in development of insect pest management strategies, which may help to identify novel or improved biological control methods of insect pests by using specific insect viruses.
The objectives of the Virus Division are ...
- To facilitate interaction among scientists who have a special interest in viruses of invertebrates
- To facilitate the exchange of information among scientists interested in viruses of invertebrates, regardless to their primary interests, through symposia, workshops, and printed and electronic media.
- To provide the organization through which problems and matters relevant to the study of invertebrate viruses may be presented for discussion and action among concerned scientist.
A Short History of the Virus Division ...
The Virus Division was initiated in 1995 by the unforgotten Norman Crook and some other SIP members, who felt that the interests of insect virologists within the Society should be coordinated and strengthened and that the Society`s insect virologists should be given a representative voice. These ideas were immediately well accepted by more than 60 SIP members, who supported the proposal for the establishment of such a Division. Initial officers (1995-1996) of the Division were Norman Crook, Suzanne Thiem, Just Vlak, and Bryony Bonning.
In 1996, a group of 135 Society members had joined the Division and bylaws have been formulated. Since 1996, when the Virus Division was approved by the SIP Council and new officers have been elected bianually, the Virus Division became active in organising several superior symposia and workshops on the SIP meetings in Cordoba and Banff and on the International Colloquium on Invertebrate Pathology and Microbial Control in Sapporo. In 1998, the number of Division members increased to 181.
WWW Projects of the Virus Division
- Mail server for insect virologists (under construction)
- Database of labs storing insect viruses (under construction)
- Phonebook of Insect Virologists (under construction)
- WWW Links of Interest for Insect Virologists (under construction)
Recent Activities of the Virus Division of the SIP
SIP Meeting Executive Committee Workshops (W) and Symposia (S) sponsored by the Virus Division (Organizers) 1995 Ithaka Norman Crook Chair
Suzanne Thiem Vicechair
Just Vlak Secretary/Treasurer
Bryony Bonning Member at largeConstitution of the Virus Division 1996 Cordoba as in 1995 W: Insect Cell Culture for Baculovirus Production Suzanne Thiem/Just Vlak) S: Characterization and Development of the Baculovirus other than AcMNPV (Norman Crook/David Theilmann)
1997 Banff Suzanne Thiem Chair
Peter Krell Vicechair
Just Vlak Secretary/Treasurer
Kisanori Bando Member at large
Nikolai van Beek
Member at largeS: Viruses in their Natural Hosts (Suzanne Thiem) W: Invertebrate Virus Taxonomy and Phylogeny (Peter Krell)
1998 Sapporo as in 1998 S: Entomopoxviruses (Michihiro Kobayashi/Suzanne Thiem) S: Biological and Molecular Aspects of Densoviruses (Max Bergoin/Hisanori Bando)
W: Laboratory Evaluation of Baculovirus-Based Insecticides (Nicolai van Beek)
1999 Irvine Peter Krell Chair
Ian Smith Vicechair
Johannes Jehle Secretary/Treasurer
Nikolai van Beek
Member at large
Doreen Winstanley
Member at largeS: Insect Virus Genomics (Johannes Jehle/George Rohrmann) S: Comparative Biology of Ascoviruses and Ichnoviruses(Robert R. Granados)
(C) 1999 Virus Division of the SIP
Created by Johannes A. Jehle
Created: 01-08-99