Dear Colleagues and Friends,
On behalf of the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, we are pleased to invite you to attend the 28th International Papillomavirus Conference and Workshops in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The event will be held at the Puerto Rico Convention Center from November 30 to December 6, 2012. The Puerto Rico Convention Center is the newest, largest and most advanced Convention Center in the Caribbean, architecturally dynamic in structure and with spacious areas that will facilitate the interaction with your peers.
The 28th International Papillomavirus (IPV) Conference Organizing Committee is planning a scientific program addressing the most recent advances across the spectrum of HPV research from basic sciences to public health. Our goal is to provide a forum for the exchange of new knowledge; the discussion of the status of HPV research and its future direction; and the discussion of the impact of current strategies for the prevention and control of HPV burden and HPV-related conditions.
The IPV conference in Puerto Rico will provide an opportunity to increase the awareness of the HPV scientific community on the burden of HPV infection, and related conditions, and the opportunities for its prevention and control in Latin America and the Caribbean. Bringing together the HPV-scientific community to this region of the world will stimulate new collaborations and strengthen old ones.
As in recent IPV Conferences, the program will consist of two pre-conference educational workshops (Clinical Workshop and Public Health Workshop) followed by the main conference program. The Public Health Workshop will focus primarily on the HPV prevention and control efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean and US Hispanic Populations. The pre-conference workshops will be held from November 30 to December 2 and the main conference program from December 2-6, 2012.
The 28th IPV Conference will offer an exciting and balanced scientific program with the most recent advances in the field, as well as the opportunity to share with friends and colleagues. We are looking forward to see you in 2012 in Puerto Rico “La Isla del Encanto” and enjoy the beauty of the Caribbean and its culture.
Guillermo Tortolero-Luna, MD, PhD
Chair Organizing Committee
28th IPV Conference
Ana Patricia Ortiz, PhD, MPH
Co-Chair Organizing Committee
28th IPV Conference
Josefina Romaguera, MD, MP
Co-Chair Organizing Committee
28th IPV Conference
Welcome of the President of the International Papillomavirus Society
The International Papillomavirus Society is delighted to wel¬come you to the Twenty-Eighth International Papillomavirus Conference, Clinical Workshop, and Public Health Workshop, in historic San Juan, Puerto Rico. This is the first time that the Conference is being held in the Caribbean. We look forward to a productive meeting while we enjoy the warm welcome of this beautiful island
This is an exciting time in the field of Papillomavirus research, as we see the fruits of our science now maturing into an improvement in public health with the implementation of the vaccines in many countries. However, our work is not done, which brings us all together at this time. The estimated global prevalence of cervical HPV infection alone is approximately 12% of the world’s women. Recent estimates put the HPV prevalence in the airway at approximately 7%, and the increase in HPV-positive tonsil cancers has been termed “an epidemic”. The current vaccines are not therapeutic, and better therapies for established infections are still just on the horizon. These will build on our continued emphasis on basic science. Implementation of the prophylactic vaccines is a work in progress, particularly in the many regions of the world where economic challenges are limiting access to vaccines and molecular screening for HPV in-fections.
We are very grateful for the financial sponsorship to help facilitate the scientific and educational programs of this Conference. Such assistance is critical to enable the participation of students and many research colleagues, clinicians and public health workers who otherwise might not be able to attend. The ideas and dedicated work of the principal organizers, the interna¬tional scientific committee, and the session chairs establish the founda¬tion for the Conference and the program of educational and research presenta¬tions. For all their efforts, we are most grateful. The success of the Conference ultimately depends on all of you - the investigative achievements of the global research community, the contribution of abstracts on work accomplished and in progress, and our convergence to share new discoveries and insights with colleagues and friends. San Juan is a wonderful city, the second oldest European-established city in the Americas, with the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas that stands as a monument to freedom and the indomitable human spirit. We encourage you to partake of the pleasures of San Juan and of Puerto Rico during and after the Conference.
Welcome!
Bettie Steinberg
President, International Papillomavirus Society
© 28th International Papillomavirus Conference • November 30 - December 6, 2012 • Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan, Puerto Rico
