The Hepatitis B Foundation, a global nonprofit headquartered in Doylestown, is coordinating the 2023 International HBV Meeting, which will be held Sept. 19-23 in Kobe, Japan.
Nearly 400 scientists from dozens of countries have registered to participate in the meeting in Kobe, with an additional 75 online.
The Hepatitis B Foundation has coordinated the conference every year since 2005, except for 2020, when COVID-19 forced a cancellation.
Prior to the many scientific presentations on the program, the event will start with the HBF and ICE-HBV Community Forum led by Dr. Chari A. Cohen, president of the Hepatitis B Foundation.
The forum, which will be webcast live, is set for 1 p.m. Japan Standard Time (12 a.m. EDT). Details and a registration link are posted at https://www.hbvmeeting.org/program/hbv-community-forum.
“The community forum is an opportunity for people living with hepatitis B and the scientific community to learn from each other, and share their priorities,” Cohen said. “Additionally, we will highlight the successes and challenges of hepatitis B elimination efforts in Japan.”
The co-chairs for this year’s meeting are two scientists with Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases: Koichi Watashi, director, Division of Drug Development Research, and Masamichi Muramatsu, director, Department of Virology II at the Institute and Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe.
Many globally prominent scientists have participated in the meeting over the years, including Nobel Laureates Harold Varmus, one of the meeting’s co-founders, and Dr. Harvey Alter, who is credited with discovering the hepatitis C virus, along with Michael Houghton, and Charles Rice. A key contributor at every International HBV Meeting has been Timothy M. Block, one of the top experts on the hepatitis B virus. He is co-founder and former president of the Hepatitis B Foundation and chair of its board of directors.
The International HBV Meeting’s Scientific Advisory Committee will present the 2023 Distinguished Award in Hepatitis B Research to professsor Luca G. Guidotti, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and San Raffaele Hospital, Italy.
Guidotti is an internationally renowned virologist and viral immunologist who spent more than 20 years on the faculty of Scripps Research in La Jolla, Calif. He currently is deputy scientific director of the IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, the largest private University Hospital in Italy. Guidotti also serves as professor of pathology at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Medical School. He has published in prestigious journals such as Cell, Nature or Science and his research activities have been financed by the NIH and the European Research Council (ERC).
Guidotti has also been a member of numerous study sections/panels at the NIH and ERC for the allocation of funds to biomedical research, and he is/has been a member of advisory boards and a member of the board of directors of several academic programs and biotech companies.
The Let’s Beat Breast Cancer rally, featuring drumlines from both Pennsbury and Neshaminy marching bands, will take place 10-11 a.m. Saturday at Yardley Borough Hall, 6 S. Main St., Yardley.
Join local experts, community advocates, and breast cancer survivors for a special gathering in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The Let’s Beat Breast Cancer campaign seeks to raise awareness about four lifestyle steps that can reduce the risk of breast cancer and risk of recurrence. The steps are: eat plant-based foods, exercise regularly, limit alcohol and aim for an ideal weight. Featuring a blend of percussionists from local bands to “beat the drum” for breast cancer prevention, all are invited to enjoy the music and raise their voice in support of the rally’s message.
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