IAS 2023, the 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science © Conor Ashleigh/ IAS The IAS Conference on HIV Science is the world’s most influential meeting on HIV research and is also the largest scientific conference for HIV staged in the world. Brisbane/Meeanjin was selected to host the event in 2023, shining the light on the city’s reputation for medical research.
About IAS 2023
The IAS hosts three prestigious HIV conferences, one of which is the IAS Conference on HIV Science, which was held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from 23-26 July 2023. The attraction of the conference to Australia was a collaborative bid effort by the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane Economic Development Agency with support also provided via the Business Events Bid Fund Program managed by Business Events Australia. The conference brought together the international research community to discuss the latest advances in HIV science and included attendance by clinicians, policymakers, scientists, as well as researchers. The four-day conference in Brisbane was attended by over 4,000 in-person delegates, plus joined by many virtually.
Sunset over Brisbane City © Tourism and Events Queensland
Why Australia
The IAS meetings intentionally move around the world, aiming to showcase different regions and the various challenges they face with regards to HIV. Hosting a meeting in the Asia Pacific was seen to be very important, with the region being home to over six million people living with HIV and having a very diverse pandemic across countries. Three key consideration factors affect host destination selection for an IAS event – the human rights record with regards to HIV, the physical capability to host a conference and the third being the financial support provided by the host country and city. The scientific base in the host destination is also a factor and in Brisbane’s favour was its reputation as a city where there has been significant investment in medical research. A new institute with state-of-the-art facilities at the University of Queensland has enabled the city to attract world-leading researchers involved in many aspects of infectious diseases. Amongst these is Emeritus Professor Ian Frazer AC who is globally-renowned for the discovery of the cervical cancer vaccine.
Plenary session: Towards Elimination. © Conor Ashleigh/ IAS
Cultural factors a feature of the Brisbane programme
HIV infections in First Nations people are a real challenge around the world and with Australia being home to the world’s oldest living Indigenous culture, this issue was intentionally highlighted in the conference program. Organisers indicated that HIV has been well controlled and managed in Australia, due to partnerships with leaders from Indigenous communities and also effective health messaging. There were a number of presentations on Indigenous issues at the Brisbane conference including a plenary session delivered by Professor James Ward, an infectious diseases epidemiologist and leader in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research who is currently the Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Queensland. Australia’s cultural connection was highlighted in the conference logo which was inspired by artwork designed by Queensland Indigenous artist Leah Cummins. The artwork story reflected the coming together of many people from many places to converge on Brisbane/ Meeanjin to bring ideas and ways of thinking as a holistic approach to healing, from modern and traditional medicine.
Professor James Ward, IAS 2023, the 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science © Conor Ashleigh/ IAS
