The RdRp Summit 2023 was held in Valencia, Spain! πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Έ

2023.05.23

First RdRp Summit: A Milestone in RNA Virus Discovery

The first RdRp (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) Summit took place in May 2023 in Valencia, Spain, as a satellite meeting of ViBioM2023. This pioneering event addressed the increasing challenges in RNA virus discovery and characterization.

Event Overview

The summit was designed as a hybrid meeting, accommodating in-person and remote participants. It attracted over 70 participants from 50 research institutions across the globe, with a notable presence of early career researchers (ECRs). The event format included open discussion sessions and traditional lectures delivered by prominent bioinformaticians and experimentalists.

Objectives of the Summit

The primary goals of the RdRp Summit were:

  • To enhance reproducibility, collaboration, and interoperability in the field of omics-derived RNA virus discovery.
  • To establish a standardized, interoperable framework for the discovery and characterization of RNA viruses.
  • To tackle the global deficit in procedural and best practice standards in RNA virus research.

Key Challenges Addressed

Several critical challenges in RNA virus discovery were at the forefront of discussions:

  • Interdisciplinarity Challenges: RNA virus discovery involves multiple disciplines, leading to variations in methodologies and data interpretation.
  • Standardization Needs: There is a growing necessity for standardization in experimental design, data interpretation, and data sharing.
  • Interoperability Goals: The summit focused on improving the ability to review, compare, reproduce, and build upon the research conducted by different groups.

Outcomes and Future Directions

The summit led to several significant outcomes:

  • Consensus Statement: A comprehensive consensus statement was developed, summarizing the key insights and agreements from the discussions.
  • Ongoing Collaboration: The event proposed continued collaborative efforts to address the identified challenges.
  • Research Initiative: A unique research topic was launched to gather studies that align with the summit’s goals.

The RdRp Summit is anticipated to continue serving as a platform for collaboration and innovation, addressing the ongoing challenges in RNA virus discovery.

Significance of the Summit

The RdRp Summit marks a critical step forward in RNA virus discovery. Bringing together experts from various disciplines and career stages has laid the foundation for more standardized and interoperable approaches in this essential area of virology research.