The RNA Editing GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.

This meeting will bring together research that encompasses basic and translational virology. We envision this meeting showcasing the ubiquity of viruses while highlighting commonalities among researchers, from technology through a standard goal of understanding how viruses behave and adapt and how this may be exploited for prediction of the next outbreak or leveraged for therapeutic development. The scientific response to SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 continues to showcase how science has progressed, as the rapidity of basic and translational research has been second to none, while also revealing our weaknesses as a population. This meeting is both a celebration of how far virology has come and a forecast of what is next and the inroads to get us there. Our topics will include: 1) Viruses within: defining the virome; interaction with the microbiome; endogenous retroviruses in health and disease; tools and technologies 2) Viral pathogens: evolution, genomics, spread, prediction, and pandemic preparedness of emerging and re-emerging viruses 3) Virus-host interaction: immunology, genetics, and host factors 4) Viruses as therapeutics: diagnostics, phage therapy, viral vectors, and disease therapy 5) Targeting viruses: antivirals, vaccines, antibodies: lessons from the past; successes versus failures