Einstein thought that the world is a dangerous place to live in, not because of the people who are evil, but because the people does not tackle the problems. Since we cannot solve the problems using the same methods that we used to create them, we need to think out of the box. As scientists we are obligated to consider more than a diseased organ, more than even the whole man. We must view the man in his world. I am committed to help understand the pathogenesis of viral diseases. I know it is a long way to go for certain diseases like AIDS, but The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.

Biography

Dr. Byron Martina is head of the Department of Virology of Curacao Biomedical & Health Research Institute.

Byron Martina, a graduate in Biomedical Sciences, earned his PhD in 2003 from the Department of Virology at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam (NL), where he focused on the pathogenesis of gamma-herpesvirus-induced carcinoma and the development and testing of vaccine candidates against alpha-herpesviruses. He then contributed to the “Emerging Viruses” team at the same institution, studying the pathogenesis of SARS-Coronavirus. Since 2008, Martina has led the “Exotic Viruses” group at Erasmus Medical Center and has served as Chief Scientific Officer at Artemis One Health Research Foundation in Utrecht. His research has spanned the pathogenesis of various virus infections, including Dengue, Hanta, West Nile, Chikungunya, Rabies, Influenza, MERS-Coronavirus, and Enterovirus-71, aiming to develop intervention strategies. Presently, he is the CEO of Artemis Bioservices, a Contract Research Organization (CRO) specializing in non-GLP and GLP studies in virology, vaccinology, and toxicology, while continuing to focus on human cohort studies and fundamental research in vitro and in animal models. Martina has played a significant role in several major EU-funded projects targeting the understanding of pathogenesis and the development of intervention strategies against various viruses. In addition, he founded Athenavax B.V. to develop innovative vaccines against cancers with a focus on breast cancer, prostate cancer and brain cancer.