The project by Dr. Marina Sibila and Dr. Segalés was awarded at the 6th edition of the European PCV2 Research Award sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.

Since 2007, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health has funded independent European research projects related to Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) infection and associated diseases. The 2012 European PCV2 research awards were recently presented to the successful investigators by the head of the review board, Prof. Maurice Pensaert, former head of the Laboratory of Virology of Ghent University in Belgium, and George Heidgerken, Senior Vice President Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health.

In the 6th edition the independent review board selected the following projects to be awarded:

• Effect of maternal derived immunity on PCV2 infection dynamics and production parameters in PCV2 vaccinated pigs (Prof. Joaquim Segalés and Dr. Marina Sibila, CReSA and Universitat Autònoma, Barcelona, Spain)
• Are amino acids 169 and 173 of PCV capsid protein determinant for virulence? (Dr. Beatrice Grasland, Anses - LERAPP laboratory, Ploufragan, France)
• Does prophylactic treatment with Iscom-Matrix adjuvant affect a subsequent PCV2 infection in pigs? (Prof. Caroline Fossum, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden)

More than 40 European scientists participated in the award ceremony, which - for the first time - took place in Hanover, Germany, where Boehringer Ingelheim recently opened a new international research site. European Porcine Circovirus (PCV2) Research Award Boehringer Ingelheim intends to continuously support independent applied research in the field of PCV2 immunity, pathogenesis, epidemiology and interaction with other (potential) pathogens. The European Porcine Circovirus (PCV2) Research Award is an annual award that recognizes research proposals in this area of applied immunological PCV2 research. The award has an independent review board with leading European scientists in applied porcine research reviewing the entries and deciding upon the winning proposals. A maximum of three prizes, worth 25,000 euro each, are granted to European researchers every year, to advance scientific knowledge in these areas.

The award winners with members of the review board and George Heidgerken, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health (on the right).