泛美临床病毒学协会(PASCV )The Pan American Society for Clinical Virology www.virology.org
The Pan American Society for Clinical Virology was originally named the Pan American Group for Rapid Viral Diagnosis (PAGRVD) when it was founded in 1977. The aims stated at the beginning continue to this day: to foster the development of new techniques for rapid viral diagnosis, to improve quality control for reagents, to sponsor training programs, scientific meetings and symposia, to disseminate relevant information, to coordinate activities with other organizations, and to encourage collaborative research. In 1995, the name was changed to the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology (PASCV) to reflect the expanding role of the Society in all areas of clinical virology: viral pathogenesis, manifestations of disease, laboratory diagnosis, prevention, and therapy.
PASCV Membership is open to laboratory directors, practicing physicians, research virologists, postdoctoral fellows, laboratory technologists and technicians throughout the Americas and the Caribbean, as well as to members of the European and Asian Societies for Clinical Virology.
PASCV promotes clinical and diagnostic virology by sponsoring Symposia and the Molecular Virololgy Workshop, a Newsletter, and a Listserver for exchange of information. PASCV presents a Diagnostic Virology Award (sponsored by Becton Dickinson) and a Clinical Virology Award (sponsored by Bion Enterprises) each year to honor leaders in the field.
The annual meeting of PASCV is held each year at the Clinical Virology Symposium in Daytona Beach, Florida. PASCV plays an active supporting role in the Symposium, which is sponsored by the University of South Florida. There are several travel awards. Two $1000 awards, sponsored by Diagnostic Hybrids, are given in honor of Dr. Edwin Lennette and Dr. Edith Hsiung. One $1500 award is given to a Latin American resident, in memory of Dr. Mario Escobar. There is a travel award of $1500, given in honor of Dr. Herman Friedman, the mentor of Dr. Steve Spector. In addition, the Society provides several travel grants to selected students, postdoctoral fellows, and technologists, who submit abstracts to the annual Clinical Virology Symposium. The travel grants are $750 for US and Canadian residents, and $1500 for Latin American residents, in light of the increased travel costs from that region.