The Canadian Society for Virology (CSV) is an organization that fosters and supports virology research across Canada.  

Virology is the study of viruses – submicroscopic, parasitic particles of genetic material contained in a protein coat. Viruses are remarkably diverse, and comprise the large majority of the genetic diversity on planet Earth. 

Successful systems attract parasites; distinct viruses infect every living organism on the planet. Viruses are relatively simple biological machines, and they depend heavily on host cells for energy and biosynthetic capacity. 

Because of this dependence, viruses have evolved many ways to co-opt and subvert host cell processes; viruses are excellent teachers, and we have learned a great deal about the cell, the immune system, and other aspects of animal, plant and bacterial physiology, by studying viruses. 

Some viruses cause disease (not just in humans), so virus research is essential for understanding viral causes of disease, and discovering new vaccines and therapies. 

The CSV was founded in 2016 by Drs. Nathalie Grandvaux (Université de Montréal) and Craig McCormick (Dalhousie University). CSV has  members representing universities, hospitals, and research institutes across Canada. 

The society provides a focal point for Canadian Virology by organizing a biennial symposium. The CSV also recognizes scientific excellence via a number of awards including investigator awards at various career awards, trainee awards including, poster and oral presentation awards, and travel awards that allow graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and new investigators to attend biennial CSV meetings and international virology meetings. In addition, CSV provides support for a Lab Exchange Program that enables trainees to obtaining training in a visiting institution. 

The CSV acts as a liaison for communication between its membership and national funding agencies such as the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Infection and Immunity. Internationally, the American Society for Virology strongly supported the establishment of CSV, and we have plans for continued partnerships via future co-hosted Workshops. 

The CSV also provides exclusive privileges to its membership by providing CSV member-specific publication rates to  internationally recognized journals in the field of virology.

 

The CSV is managed by an executive committee consisting of a President, a Vice President, a Past president, a Secretary-Treasurer, 3 Directors and a Trainee Representative. The CSV Executive committee members are elected by full CSV members and serve one-year or two-year terms.

The current members of the board of directors are:

President:
Jimmy Dikeakos, Western University/

Vice-President:
Rodney Russell, Memorial University

Treasurer/secretary:
Matthew Miller, McMaster University

Director:
Jason Kindrachuk, University of Manitoba

Director:
Samira Mubareka, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Research Institute

Director – Early Career Investigator:
Dr. Jozef Nissimov, University of Waterloo

Trainee representative:
Aïssatou Aïcha Sow, INRS-IAF

Past President (non voting):
Nathalie Grandvaux, Université de Montréal

 

CSV Executive 2018-2020

Université de Montréal
Nathalie Grandvaux

Dalhousie University
Craig McCormick

McGill University
Selena Sagan

University of Alberta
Maya Shmulevitz

University of Manitoba
Jason Kindrachuk

University of Western Ontario
Jimmy Dikeakos

Memorial University of Newfoundland
Rodney Russell

Université Laval
Amelie Fradet Turcottte

McMaster University
Matthew Miller

Queen's University
Che Colpitts

Simon Fraser University
Zabrina Brumme

University of British Columbia
Eric Jan

Universty of Calgary
Jennifer Corcoran

University of Guelph
Sarah Wootton

University of Ottawa
Marceline Côté

University of Saskatchewan
Vikram Misra

University of Toronto
Samira Mubareka

University of Waterloo
Josef Nissimov

York University
Andrew White

VIDO Intervac
Darryl Falzarano

University of Sherbrooke
Brendan Bell

Institut Armand Frappier
Alain Lamarre

Wilfrid Laurier University
Stephanie DeWitte-Orr

Université du Quebec
Benoit Barbeau

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Helene Sanfacon

University of Lethbridge
Trushar Patel

Public Health Agency of Canada
Logan Banadyga

University of Winnipeg
Renee Douville

The CSV is an organization incorporated under the not-for-profit corporation Act #967119-6.