Etienne Thiry is a full Professor and Head of Veterinary Virology and Viral Diseases Laboratory, faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège (ULg), Belgium. Among others, he has been a member of the National Committee for Microbiology of the Belgian Royal Academy since 1999. He was the president of the Belgian Association of Animal Health and Epidemiology from 1999 to 2006. He is also appointed as member (former acting chairman and vice-chairman) of the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD). His research interests cover several aspects of animal virology, especially herpesviruses, caliciviruses, hepeviruses, and orbiviruses.