Organizational Structure
The GfV is governed by an executive board, elected every three years by its members. The board consists of six members: the president, two vice presidents, the secretary, the treasurer, and, since 2022, the speaker of the young GfV (junge GfV, jGfV). An advisory board of ten elected members supports the executive board. As of January 2025, the GfV has 1,399 members, including ordinary members, students, retired, honorary, and corresponding members.
The society has established 15 permanent commissions, focusing on diverse aspects of clinical, molecular and safety related questions in virology, but also on teaching, outreach, and academic affairs. Commission chairs are elected for three years and are part of the advisory board. The commissions coordinate their activities throughout the year and report at least annually to the executive and advisory boards.
The founding of the jGfV in 2021 marked a significant step in supporting young virologists. The jGfV has its own board, which is formed by the chairs of seven study groups (Arbeitskreise, AKs) and two student representatives, elected annually by the student members. The jGfV speaker is a full member of the GfV executive board, ensuring direct representation of early-career scientists within the GfV leadership.
Annual Meetings and Workshops
The highlight of the GfV’s calendar is its annual spring conference, held each year in a different city in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Since 1991, this meeting has brought together virologists from across Europe and beyond to present and discuss current research. In line with virology’s internationality, the conference language is English. The 2025 meeting in Hamburg attracted nearly 900 participants, presenting more than 450 posters and giving 155 talks across 15 workshop and poster sessions, covering topics from adaptive and innate immunity, antiviral therapy, diagnostics, structural and systems virology, viral vectors, virus-host interactions, and zoonoses. Fifteen plenary speakers addressed talks on emerging viruses and zoonoses, structural virology, virus-host interactions, data science, and innate immunity.
In addition, the seven jGfV study groups each organize annual workshops in their respective focus areas, such as career support for young scientists in clinical and experimental virology (ACHIEVE academy), cell biology of viral infections, clinical virological research, immunobiology of viral infections, one health and zoonotic viruses, viral vectors for gene therapy and vaccination, and young principal investigators. These workshops provide young scientists with valuable networking and learning opportunities in an interactive setting.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the GfV established online workshops, initially focusing on SARS-CoV-2 but later expanding to topics such as arboviruses, HIV-1 innate immunity as well as the legal basis and the responsibility of researchers in gain-of-function research in virology. Members are encouraged to propose topics and share research findings through these platforms.
Awards and Support for Young Scientists
To support virologists and highlight their scientific achievements, the GfV offers a range of awards for different career levels, as well as grants and scholarships. For early-career researchers completing their PhD or MD thesis, the GfV presents two Doctoral Awards: one sponsored by the German Center for Infection Research (Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, DZIF), and the other donated by the Bernhard and Ingrid Fleckenstein Foundation. For postdoctoral researchers the GfV pre-selects nominees in cooperation with the Robert Koch Foundation, which then awards the Robert Koch Foundation Postdoctoral Award for Virology. For young PIs and research group leaders, the prestigious Loeffler-Frosch Award, established in 1994, is awarded annually for outstanding virological achievement by young researchers who do not yet hold a lifetime professorship. Since 2022, the GfV, together with the Chica and Heinz Schaller Foundation, has biannually awarded the Chica and Heinz Schaller Foundation Award for Distinguished Achievements in Virology, recognizing outstanding contributions to basic and translational research. Since 2025, exceptional commitment to the GfV and impact beyond successful research are recognized by the Gertrude and Werner Henle Medal of the GfV. For the lifetime achievements in virology in the German-speaking region, the GfV has awarded the Loeffler-Frosch Medal to distinguished virologists after their active career. This Award is given since 2006.
In addition to the research awards, the jGfV provides publication awards, travel grants for lab rotations, and a mentoring program for young scientists. Specific virtual lectures series provide a well-rounded support offer.
Furthermore, the society’s certificate in medical virology and epidemiology of infectious diseases ("Fachvirologe") is of particular importance. This certification can be obtained by natural scientists in the field of biosciences and by veterinarians who have completed advanced training in clinical virology and have experience in virological diagnostics in human medicine. The certificate attests to comprehensive theoretical knowledge and a minimum of five years of hands-on experience in medical virology, diagnostics, and infectious disease epidemiology. As it qualifies recipients to manage a laboratory for virological diagnostics, it represents the highest level of professional certification awarded by the GfV.
National and International Partnerships
The GfV actively collaborates with national and international societies. In 2022, the GfV formed a partnership with the Swedish Society for Virology (SSV), facilitating scientific exchange and supporting young members’ participation in each other’s annual meetings and workshops. The GfV is also a member of several organizations, including the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften e.V., AWMF), the German Association for the Control of Virus Diseases (Deutsche Vereinigung zur Bekämpfung der Viruskrankheiten e.V., DVV), the European Society for Virology (ESV), the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS), the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS), and the Association for Applied Hygiene (Verbund für Angewandte Hygiene e.V., VAH).
Public Health, Policy, and International Collaboration
The GfV is deeply committed to contributing virological expertise to public health and policy, both nationally and internationally. The society regularly issues position statements, develops clinical guidelines, and provides expert advice to governmental bodies, research institutions, and healthcare providers. Through its commissions and in collaboration with partner societies, the GfV addresses pressing issues such as emerging viral diseases, pandemic preparedness, and vaccination strategies.
Viruses and Extracellular Vesicles
Viruses and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are closely related: both are lipid-enveloped particles of similar size, sharing biogenesis and entry pathways. Strikingly, some non-enveloped viruses can - under certain circumstances - acquire a lipid envelope that resembles the EV envelope. EVs can modulate immune responses, restrict or promote viral replication, and serve as biomarkers or delivery vehicles, much like viruses themselves. Hence, interdisciplinary exchange between the research fields of virology and EVs is of high relevance, and thus, the Society of Virology (GfV) is pleased to introduce itself to the EV research community. In 2024, Gisa Gerold, member of the GfV board of directors, gave a keynote lecture at the annual meeting of the German Society of Extracellular Vesicles in Hamburg. Further scientific exchange at the annual meetings of both disciplines is foreseen, and a workshop on that topic is planned for the 2026 GfV meeting in Heidelberg.
Outlook
With its commitment to scientific excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the promotion of young scientists, the GfV continues to play a pivotal role in shaping virology research, education, and policy in the German-speaking region and beyond. The society remains dedicated to encourage innovation, supporting its members, and addressing global health challenges through virological expertise. As next year’s annual meeting in Heidelberg will feature a workshop on the role of extracellular vesicles in viral infection, we encourage researchers from the EV Society to submit abstracts to the GfV 2026 conference to foster continued exchange between our research communities.
