The 1918 influenza pandemic: Historical and biomedical reflections

At the centenary commemoration of the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, many questions with regard to the origin, the development and the impact of this worldwide phenomenon remain largely uncharted.

• Where did this virus come from?
• To what degree and how were its genesis and its rapid transcontinental spread caused and/or facilitated by the war circumstances?
• Which genetic features of the virus explain its unusually high pathogenicity?
• How did medical and political authorities react?
• Why were some age groups spared by this dreadful virus?
• Is it possible to fathom the impact of the pandemic both on the everyday life of citizens and on general developments in science, culture and politics?
• How far can a historical approach contribute to the understanding of current-day pandemics, and vice versa?

In order to tackle these questions, an international and interdisciplinary conference will be held in Ypres (Belgium) on 7-8 February 2019. The Scientific Committee warmly invites you to submit abstracts of original research papers related to biomedical and historical aspects of the 1918 influenza pandemic, which you would like to be considered for presentation at the conference.

Are you an undergraduate student? Then you are welcome to join and you can register using the PhD Student fee.

Poster information:
Format: A0 (841 x 1189 mm / 33.1 x 46.8 in), portrait orientation

Image sources:
Left: “The Spanish Flu rules !”. Cartoon from a Dutch newspaper, 1918-1919.
Right: Negative-stained transmission electron microscopic (TEM) image shows recreated 1918 Influenza virions that were collected from supernatants of 1918-infected Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cell cultures, 18 hours after infection. Content provider: CDC/Dr. Terrence Tumpey.