The scientific conference “RNA goes viral” was held at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Poznań on October 20-21. It was focused on the challenges posed and still posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the achievements of Poznan scientists, including the Institute’s staff, in the fight against the pandemic and the study of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The conference was interdisciplinary, addressing issues in medicine, genetics, epidemiology and molecular biology.

The event featured two thematic sessions. The first, ‘RNA goes scientific’, was held entirely online, with papers presented by researchers from the US, China, Korea and Poland. The second titled ‘RNA goes popular’ was held hybrid, and the lecturers were scientists from the Medical University of Poznan, the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as representatives from the National Health Fund and the National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene. Participation in the second part was open to the general public. The organizer was the Foundation of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS in Poznań.