The Global Virus Network (GVN) is an international coalition of virologists and research institutions focused on pandemic preparedness and viral diseases that threaten public health. Founded in 2011 by Robert Gallo, William Hall, and Reinhard Kurth, the network comprises more than 100 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in more than 40 countries.
GVN supports research, education and training, pandemic preparedness and response, and international collaboration on viral diseases. Its network collaborates in areas including viral surveillance, diagnostics, sequencing, epidemiology, antivirals, vaccines, and basic, clinical, and translational virology research. GVN also convenes Action Committees, formerly known as Task Forces and Watch Groups, that bring together experts to address viral categories, emerging threats, and other public-health priorities.
In 2024, GVN selected the University of South Florida (USF) to host its international headquarters. The headquarters officially opened in 2026 and is located at the USF Research Park in Tampa, Florida. GVN co-founder Robert Gallo serves as International Scientific Director and chair of its Scientific Leadership Committee.
Mission and activities
GVN states that its mission is to facilitate global pandemic preparedness for viral diseases that pose a threat to public health. It pursues this mission through scientific research, education and training, preparedness and response, and collaboration with scientific institutions and governmental organizations.
Education and training
GVN supports the training and professional development of virologists and other scientists through mentorship, educational grants, courses, internships, webinars, alumni activities, and scientific meetings. These programs are coordinated through the GVN Academy.
GVN and USF also host the Forefront of Virology Webinar Series, in which scientists from GVN Centers of Excellence and Affiliates present on viral threats and scientific developments. Sessions include a presentation and moderated question-and-answer period, and recordings are made available online.
Research
GVN promotes collaboration among its Centers of Excellence, Affiliates, Action Committees, and other collaborators. Its research programs address viral surveillance, diagnostics, sequencing, epidemiology, antivirals, vaccines, disease prevention, biosafety, infrastructure, and pandemic preparedness and response. GVN also provides research grants and discretionary support for investigator-led projects and urgent response initiatives.
GVN Action Committees bring together academic, institutional, and corporate participants to assess viral threats, identify needs, share scientific information, and develop collaborations. The current committees focus on poxviruses, arboviruses, hemorrhagic fever viruses, respiratory viruses, retroviruses, and Long COVID and other infection-associated chronic conditions.
Earlier disease-specific task forces produced several documented initiatives. GVN’s HTLV-1 Task Force worked to increase international recognition of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 as a public-health concern, while the Zika Virus Task Force established an international serum bank in 2016 to support diagnostics, vaccine research, and studies of immune responses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, GVN convened experts on SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics, variants, innate immunity, Long COVID, and public-health communication.
Global health strategies and solutions
GVN works with scientists, public-health experts, governments, academic institutions, industry, and global-health organizations to strengthen preparedness for and response to viral threats. Its activities include scientific briefings, coalition-building, international collaboration, public and policymaker engagement, media relations, and advocacy for investment in virology research, diagnostics, surveillance, training, and health infrastructure.
In 2026, GVN launched its Expertise Dashboard, a public resource describing the geographic distribution and capabilities of participating Centers of Excellence and Affiliates. The dashboard includes information on research programs, laboratory capabilities, biosafety infrastructure, and public-health partnerships.
Funding and collaborations
GVN provides targeted support for virology research, education, training, and pandemic-preparedness projects through research grants, educational grants, and discretionary funds. Research-grant programs support projects involving surveillance, early warning, diagnostics, sequencing, epidemiology, antivirals, vaccines, and other emerging scientific priorities. Education and Training Grants may support research costs, courses and workshops, conference participation, and travel to acquire skills at another GVN institution.
GVN collaborates with scientific institutions, government agencies, academic centers, industry organizations, and other groups on research, education, training, scientific meetings, and pandemic-preparedness initiatives. These relationships may support particular projects or programs and should not be interpreted as a fixed list of current institutional partners.
History and network
GVN was officially launched at a scientific meeting in Washington, D.C., in March 2011. The meeting identified Robert Gallo, Reinhard Kurth, and William Hall as co-founders and established the organization’s mission, objectives, and collaborative model.
GVN publicly describes its network as comprising more than 100 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in more than 40 countries. Centers of Excellence serve as hubs with broad expertise across multiple areas of virology and participate in GVN scientific programs and activities. Affiliates contribute specialized expertise and collaborate within the network with mentorship from designated Centers of Excellence.
The country-by-country inventory below contains 94 individually listed institutions: 84 Centers of Excellence and 10 Affiliates. It does not represent the full 100-plus public network count because institutions represented through separately classified consortia are not listed individually.
Research Institute of Virology, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan — Affiliate
Vietnam
National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics — Affiliate
Zambia
Africa Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals, University of Zambia School of Veterinary Medicine — Center of Excellence
Zimbabwe
Antiviral Pharmacology Laboratory and Clinical Trials Research Center Virology Program, University of Zimbabwe — Affiliate
Scientific meetings
GVN has convened international scientific meetings since its founding to facilitate scientific exchange and collaboration among virologists, clinicians, epidemiologists, public-health specialists, trainees, and other researchers. The meeting history begins with the network’s official launch in Washington, D.C. (2011), followed by meetings in Dublin, Ireland (2011); Naples, Italy (2012); Baltimore, Maryland, United States (2012); Munich, Germany (2013); Moscow, Russia (2013); Beijing, China (2015); Sapporo, Japan (2016); Melbourne, Australia (2017); Veyrier-du-Lac, France (2018); Barcelona, Spain (2019); a virtual meeting (2020); Monaco (2023); Durban, South Africa (2024); and Tampa, Florida, United States (2026).
The 2026 Annual International Scientific Meeting, held March 4–6 in Tampa, brought together nearly 150 in-person participants and 88 participants joining virtually from more than 10 countries. The program addressed emerging viral threats, diagnostics, surveillance, artificial intelligence, antiviral therapies, vaccines, viral pathogenesis, immunology, and pandemic preparedness.
GVN also organizes Regional Scientific Meetings focused on viral threats and research priorities within specific geographic regions, with emphasis on scientific collaboration, surveillance, diagnostics, and research capacity. Regional meetings have included the Africa Regional Meeting in Entebbe, Uganda (2019); virtual meetings for Latin America and the Caribbean (2021) and Africa (2021); and the Regional Scientific Meeting in Kingston, Jamaica (2025).
The 2025 meeting, held May 1–2 in Kingston, was co-hosted by the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, and the University at Buffalo. It convened participants from 13 countries, including representatives from five GVN Centers of Excellence and Affiliates. The meeting addressed arboviruses, viral surveillance, vector biology, One Health, vaccinology, pediatric infectious diseases, neurovirulence, emerging viruses, mentoring, and research capacity.
Awards and recognition
GVN presents awards recognizing scientific achievement, leadership, mentorship, regional contributions, and service to the network.
The Robert C. Gallo Award for Scientific Excellence and Leadership recognizes scientists for contributions to virology and to GVN’s mission. It recognizes scientific achievement as well as contributions to the network, mentorship, scientific meetings, Action Committees, and science-based decision-making, and is presented in connection with GVN’s Annual International Scientific Meeting.
GVN also established a Regional Excellence in Leadership Award to recognize scientific leadership and contributions to virology and pandemic preparedness within particular geographic regions. The inaugural award for the Caribbean and Latin America was presented to Christine Carrington in 2025 for advancing genomic surveillance and regional pandemic preparedness.
