Tinos Immunovirology Masterclass - September 24-27, 2025
Island of Tinos, Greece
Venue: Cultural Foundation of Tinos
Day 1 - Wednesday, September 24th, 2025 - Introduction/Plenary Talk
13:00 - 15:00: Registration and check into your accommodation*; Poster setup
15:00 - 15:30: Welcome and Introductions
Stefan Sarafianos, PhD, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
Michaela Lucas, MD/PhD, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
15:30 - 16:30: Unlocking the Secrets of Viruses: A Masterclass Introduction to Virology
Ioannis Karakasiliotis, PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
16:30 - 17:30: Immunology taught by viruses
Michaela Lucas, MD/PhD, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
17:30 - 18:00: Afternoon Break
18:00 - 19:00: Opening Plenary Talk: “From Curiosity to Breakthrough: a Nobel Odyssey”
Charles M Rice, PhD, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA, Nobel Prize Winner
19:30 - 22:00: Meet and greet – joint dinner with students and faculty
Day 2 - Thursday, September 25th, 2025 - Virus-Host Interactions - Immune Responses and Vaccines
09:30 - 10:00: A Versatile Herpes Simplex Viral Vector for Vaccines and Cancer Immunotherapy
Gus Kousoulas, PhD, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, LA, USA
10:00 - 10:30: Viruses causing Cancer: The example of HPV
Christine Kottaridi, PhD, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
10:30 - 11:00: Virus-host interactions towards a cure against hepatitis B virus
Lefteris Michailidis, PhD, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
11:00 - 11:30: Coffee Break
11:30 - 12:00: Coopting aspects of the innate anti-viral response to potentiate tumour immunotherapy
Nina Papavasiliou, PhD, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
12:00 - 12:30: Design of vaccines for inducing protective immunity
Katerina Chlichlia, PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
12:30 - 14:00: Lunch Break
14:00 - 14:30: Current and novel anti-viral therapeutics
Stefan Sarafianos, PhD, Emory University, Atlanta
14:30 - 15:00: Viral escape and resistance to anti-virals
Apostolos Beloukas, PhD, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
15:00 - 15:30: Tissue resident immunity
Andrew Lucas, PhD, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
15:30 - 16:00: Afternoon break
16:00 - 17:30: Student poster presentations
17:30 - 19:00: Professional development session/workshop
17:30 - 18:15: Excelling at paper writing and peer review
18:15 - 19:00: How to be successful with Grant and Fellowship applications
19:00: Evening off. Stroll through Tinos Town: Walk around the charming alleys, explore shops selling local crafts, and enjoy a relaxed evening (Faculty dinner)
Day 3 - Friday, September 26th, 2025 - Emerging Viruses and Pandemic Preparedness
08:30 - 09:00: H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus: Evolution and Pandemic Potential
Chrysostomos Dovas, PhD, University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
09:00 - 9:30: Acute infection and long-term sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Eliza Tsitoura, PhD, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
9:30 - 10:00: Use Bioinformatics to explore emerging viruses
Gus Kousoulas, PhD, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, LA, USA
10:00 - 10:30: Coffee break
10:30 - 11:30: Flash talks of selected poster presenters
12:00 - 18:00: Excursion, Lunch Break, and Afternoon: Visiting the island of Tinos
19:00 - 21:00: Public event COVID, vaccines and pandemic preparedness: Virologists, Immunologists and the public meet
Konstantinos Mimidis, MD/PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
Maria Panopoulou, MD/PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
More to be announced!
Dinner Party/Location to be announced
Day 4 - Saturday, September 27th, 2025: Viral Genomics, anti-viral therapies and Evolution
09:00 - 09:30: Novel therapeutic strategies against viruses – Deep Sequencing
Bruce Torbett, PhD, Seattle Children’s, Seattle, USA
09:30 - 10:00: Functional Genomics of the Prion Life Cycle
Adriano Aguzzi, PhD, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
10:00 - 10.30: Coffee Break
10:30 - 11:00: Using bacteriophages as therapeutics: Advantages and disadvantages
Petros Bozidis, PhD, University of Ioanninas, Ionannina, Greece
11:00 - 11:30: Insect Vectors in emerging diseases and viral metagenomics
Ioannis Karakasiliotis, PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
11:30 - 12:00: Closing Ceremony and Certificate Distribution
12:00 - 13:00: Light lunch
15.00 ferry boat departure
* • Aeolos Hotel – https://aeolosbay.com/
• Oceanis Hotel – https://oceanistinos.gr/en/welcome/
Tinos Immunovirology Masterclass Organizing Committee:
Katerina Chlichlia, PhD – Democritus University of Thrace
Yannis Karakasiliotis, PhD - Democritus University of Thrace
Michaela Lucas, MD, FRACP, FRCPA – University of Western Australia
Penelope Mavromara, PhD - Democritus University of Thrace
Lefteris Michailidis, PhD – Emory University
Stefan Sarafianos, PhD – Emory University
Island of Tinos, Greece
Venue: Cultural Foundation of Tinos
Day 1 - Wednesday, September 24th, 2025 - Introduction/Plenary Talk
13:00 - 15:00: Registration and check into your accommodation*; Poster setup
15:00 - 15:30: Welcome and Introductions
Stefan Sarafianos, PhD, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
Michaela Lucas, MD/PhD, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
15:30 - 16:30: Unlocking the Secrets of Viruses: A Masterclass Introduction to Virology
Ioannis Karakasiliotis, PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
16:30 - 17:30: Immunology taught by viruses
Michaela Lucas, MD/PhD, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
17:30 - 18:00: Afternoon Break
18:00 - 19:00: Opening Plenary Talk: “From Curiosity to Breakthrough: a Nobel Odyssey”
Charles M Rice, PhD, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA, Nobel Prize Winner
19:30 - 22:00: Meet and greet – joint dinner with students and faculty
Day 2 - Thursday, September 25th, 2025 - Virus-Host Interactions - Immune Responses and Vaccines
09:30 - 10:00: A Versatile Herpes Simplex Viral Vector for Vaccines and Cancer Immunotherapy
Gus Kousoulas, PhD, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, LA, USA
10:00 - 10:30: Viruses causing Cancer: The example of HPV
Christine Kottaridi, PhD, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
10:30 - 11:00: Virus-host interactions towards a cure against hepatitis B virus
Lefteris Michailidis, PhD, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
11:00 - 11:30: Coffee Break
11:30 - 12:00: Coopting aspects of the innate anti-viral response to potentiate tumour immunotherapy
Nina Papavasiliou, PhD, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
12:00 - 12:30: Design of vaccines for inducing protective immunity
Katerina Chlichlia, PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
12:30 - 14:00: Lunch Break
14:00 - 14:30: Current and novel anti-viral therapeutics
Stefan Sarafianos, PhD, Emory University, Atlanta
14:30 - 15:00: Viral escape and resistance to anti-virals
Apostolos Beloukas, PhD, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
15:00 - 15:30: Tissue resident immunity
Andrew Lucas, PhD, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
15:30 - 16:00: Afternoon break
16:00 - 17:30: Student poster presentations
17:30 - 19:00: Professional development session/workshop
17:30 - 18:15: Excelling at paper writing and peer review
18:15 - 19:00: How to be successful with Grant and Fellowship applications
19:00: Evening off. Stroll through Tinos Town: Walk around the charming alleys, explore shops selling local crafts, and enjoy a relaxed evening (Faculty dinner)
Day 3 - Friday, September 26th, 2025 - Emerging Viruses and Pandemic Preparedness
08:30 - 09:00: H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus: Evolution and Pandemic Potential
Chrysostomos Dovas, PhD, University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
09:00 - 9:30: Acute infection and long-term sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Eliza Tsitoura, PhD, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
9:30 - 10:00: Use Bioinformatics to explore emerging viruses
Gus Kousoulas, PhD, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, LA, USA
10:00 - 10:30: Coffee break
10:30 - 11:30: Flash talks of selected poster presenters
12:00 - 18:00: Excursion, Lunch Break, and Afternoon: Visiting the island of Tinos
19:00 - 21:00: Public event COVID, vaccines and pandemic preparedness: Virologists, Immunologists and the public meet
Konstantinos Mimidis, MD/PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
Maria Panopoulou, MD/PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
More to be announced!
Dinner Party/Location to be announced
Day 4 - Saturday, September 27th, 2025: Viral Genomics, anti-viral therapies and Evolution
09:00 - 09:30: Novel therapeutic strategies against viruses – Deep Sequencing
Bruce Torbett, PhD, Seattle Children’s, Seattle, USA
09:30 - 10:00: Functional Genomics of the Prion Life Cycle
Adriano Aguzzi, PhD, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
10:00 - 10.30: Coffee Break
10:30 - 11:00: Using bacteriophages as therapeutics: Advantages and disadvantages
Petros Bozidis, PhD, University of Ioanninas, Ionannina, Greece
11:00 - 11:30: Insect Vectors in emerging diseases and viral metagenomics
Ioannis Karakasiliotis, PhD, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
11:30 - 12:00: Closing Ceremony and Certificate Distribution
12:00 - 13:00: Light lunch
15.00 ferry boat departure
* • Aeolos Hotel – https://aeolosbay.com/
• Oceanis Hotel – https://oceanistinos.gr/en/welcome/
Tinos Immunovirology Masterclass Organizing Committee:
Katerina Chlichlia, PhD – Democritus University of Thrace
Yannis Karakasiliotis, PhD - Democritus University of Thrace
Michaela Lucas, MD, FRACP, FRCPA – University of Western Australia
Penelope Mavromara, PhD - Democritus University of Thrace
Lefteris Michailidis, PhD – Emory University
Stefan Sarafianos, PhD – Emory University