SEARCH THIS SITE Advanced Search Home Conference Overview Conference Programme Abstracts Scholarships Satellites, Exhibitions and Affiliated Events Registration Hotel Accommodation Travelling to South Africa Organization Sponsors Add me to the mailing list Welcome to IAS 2009 Dear Colleagues, On behalf of the International AIDS Society (IAS) and our local partner, Dira Sengwe, it is our pleasure to invite you to attend the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2009), to be held in Cape Town, South Africa from 19-22 July 2009. As the fifth conference in this series, IAS 2009 will continue its strong emphasis on basic, clinical and biomedical prevention science. However, for the first time, the scientific programme also will include a fourth track on Operations Research. This newest feature underscores one of the defining characteristics of the IAS conference: to examine how scientific advances increase knowledge and are instrumental, through very practical ways, to reach populations which need new and improved methods to prevent, treat, and effectively confront the epidemic. The urgent need for the rapid translation of science into practice is also one of the reasons South Africa, one of the most heavily affected countries in the world, was chosen to host IAS 2009. In 2000, Durban hosted the XIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2000), an event which is often considered to be a turning point in the international response to HIV/AIDS. Since that time, there have been many new developments in South Africa and the region as a whole. Being in Cape Town for IAS 2009 will enable the international scientific community to directly focus its attention on the continued challenges facing the region, as it did so successfully during AIDS 2000; and participants can maintain their support for the dynamic activism, creativity and innovation of South Africa’s people. As the world’s leading independent association of health professionals, IAS is committed to working in partnership with Dira Sengwe to develop a programme that explores how best to bridge the gap between science and practice. The truly international nature of the conference (with more than 133 countries represented in 2007) is an ideal opportunity for networking and collaboration. We hope to see you in Cape Town! Julio Montaner, MD IAS 2009 International Chair President, International AIDS Society PDirector, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Founding Co-Director, Canadian HIV Trials Network Vancouver, BC, Canada   HM (Jerry) Coovadia, MD IAS 2009 Local Co-Chair President, Dire Sengwe Victor Daitz Professor of HIV Research Scientific Director, Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, University of Natal Durban, South Africa