We understand you may have questions regarding the 2023 In Vitro Biology Meeting and some of the opportunities to attend it which are available. The FAQ below was designed to help address some of the questions you may have. If your concern is not addressed, please reach out to us at the SIVB Business Office and we will reply to you as soon as possible.

SIVB is holding an in-person meeting at the Hilton Norfolk The Main in Norfolk, Virginia, from June 10-14, 2023, unless health authorities or governments ban large in-person gatherings or close businesses, merchants, and travel operations as happened at the start of the pandemic in June 2020.

As a scientific organization, we want to make sure we are taking all the necessary precautions to meet carefully and appropriately while protecting the well-being of our community.  The SIVB will adhere to all local and national guidelines associated with in-person events and establish protocols to protect the safety of SIVB attendees, staffs, vendors, and partners. As a result, we are asking all in-person attendees of the 2023 In Vitro Biology Meeting to attest that they will follow all precautions in place at the event and that they will not attend if they have tested positive for COVID‐19 in the 6 days before the meeting. In addition, we STRONGLY RECOMMEND that all attendees follow CDC Guidelines and be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to the meeting. This information may be updated with any new requirements to hold our event safely based on information received regarding city, state and national requirements.

We understand that many people are still limited regarding travel to scientific meetings; therefore, SIVB will be offering both live In-Person and On-Demand Limited Access Registration opportunities.

WILL THERE BE A LIVE MEETING IN NORFOLK THIS YEAR?

Yes. SIVB will be meeting in-person in Norfolk, Virginia at the Hilton Norfolk The Main. The in-person meeting will have live keynote, plenary, animal, education, and plant symposia, contributed paper sessions, and both interactive and regular poster sessions. There will be award presentations, receptions, socials, and networking opportunities throughout the duration of the program. The IVACS and Plant Biotechnology Sections will have their annual section meetings and SIVB committees will meet in person to discuss organizational business. Those who attend the meeting in-person in Norfolk will also receive all of the On-Demand Limited Access content online after the meeting.

ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE A VIRTUAL MEETING?

SIVB will be offering virtual content recorded during the In-Person program, but it will not be presented live. For those who are unable to attend the meeting in Norfolk, VA, but still want to enjoy some of the presentation from the program, you can register for “On-Demand Limited Access.”

WHAT DO I GET WITH “ON-DEMAND LIMITED ACCESS”?

On-Demand Limited Access will provide access to recorded sessions from some of the key highlights of the 2023 program. This will include the daily plenary sessions, the joint session, a student-organized symposium, select animal and plant symposia, and most importantly, the Keynote Presentation by Dr. Princess Imoukhuede. These pre-recorded presentations will be made available for your viewing approximately 2 weeks after the live 2023 Meeting concludes and will remain available through September 30, 2023. Sessions that are being planned for inclusion in the on-demand content will be marked by an asterisk (*) on the program page of the 2023 Meeting. Please note that this list may be subject to change.

Those who choose to register for On-Demand Limited Access will be provided with access to the mobile app and website for the meeting once the on-demand program is released. Through the website and mobile app, you will be able to view the presentations. This may also include slides from sessions that are not part of the recorded program as well as some virtual poster presentations.

HOW CAN I REGISTER?

Registration is available on this website. Registration rates reflect both the in person and on-demand registration options.

I’M A CONVENER/MODERATOR/SPEAKER. AM I AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED?

No. All conveners, moderators and SIVB members who are presenting their work are required to register for the meeting. Invited speakers who are not members of the SIVB will be registered as part of their participation in the meeting.

I PAID TO SUBMIT MY ABSTRACT. AM I REGISTERED?

Abstract submission is a separate process from meeting registration. You will need to also register for the meeting to attend in person or view the on-demand content.

I AM A STUDENT AND REGISTRATION IS FREE. I SUBMITTED MY ABSTRACT. AM I ALREADY REGISTERED?

No. While student registration is free, you still need to choose to register for the 2023 Meeting by selecting the student option when you register.  The Business Office will reach out to all students who have submitted an abstract but have not registered for the meeting to remind them to do so. 

I AM REGISTERING THROUGH MY COMPANY AS A GROUP REGISTRANT. DOES THIS INCLUDE MEMBERSHIP IN THE SIVB?

Group registration is offered at a significantly discounted rate for 5 or more people from the same organization to attend the in-person meeting. It does not include membership in the organization. Should you wish to join or renew your membership to the SIVB, you will need to do that separately here.

WILL THERE BE ANY SPECIAL EVENTS OR TOURS IN NORFOLK AT THIS YEAR’S MEETING?

Yes! We are currently working with the Local Organizing Committee to arrange for a special evening event on Tuesday, June 13 as well as some special scientific tours on Wednesday afternoon after the scientific program has concluded. More details on these opportunities will be added to the website when they become available.

I REGISTERED FOR THE ON-DEMAND ACCESS, BUT NOW WANT TO ATTEND THE IN-PERSON MEETING. WHAT CAN I DO?

Please contact the Business Office and let us know you wish to transition your registration from the on-demand access to the in-person meeting. We will invoice you for the difference in registration fees.

Note: If you are a student who is receiving free registration to attend the meeting, you will still need to contact us  to let us know that you will be attending in person. This assures we have sufficient materials and food planned on site at the meeting venue for your participation. 

I REGISTERED FOR THE IN-PERSON MEETING BUT CAN’T ATTEND NOW. WHAT CAN I DO?

If you had already registered, but realize that you will not be participating in the 2023 in-person meeting, you may:

• Modify your registration to the 2023 On-Demand Limited Access. Please contact the Business Office and let us know you wish to transition your registration from the In-person meeting to the On-Demand Limited Access. The difference in your registration fee may be donated as a contribution to the SIVB or refunded to you.
• Donate your registration to the Society for In Vitro Biology
  By converting your registration fee into a tax-deductible donation, you will support the Society for In Vitro Biology and its mission to foster the exchange of knowledge of in vitro biology of cells, tissues and organs from both plant and animals (including humans).  Upon written request, you will be sent a confirmation of this donation for your tax records.
• Request a refund: We will refund your meeting registration fees. Our refund policy is as follows:

WHAT IS SIVB’S REFUND POLICY?

All requests for cancellations and/or refunds must be made in writing. Refunds are subject to an administrative processing fee of $50.00. The amount refunded is determined by the date the request is received. A full refund less the administrative fee will be granted if the request is received by March 31, 2023, one-half from April 1 to May 10, 2023; no refund after May 10, 2023. Exceptions to this policy will be made for attendees who are not able to attend the conference due to a country ban, government restricted travel, or airline restrictions. Those individuals may cancel after the deadline and receive a full refund of the paid registration rate minus the $50 non-refundable administrative fee. Abstract fees are non-refundable.

CAN I SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT FOR POSTER PRESENTATION IF I AM REGISTERING FOR ON-DEMAND LIMITED ACCESS?

You can submit an abstract for consideration as a Virtual Poster Presentation. This opportunity is for attendees who cannot travel to attend the 2023 Meeting. Virtual poster authors will upload a pdf of their poster and will have the opportunity to record a description of their work.  You may choose the option for a “Virtual Poster” when you complete your submission. (Note: Please do not submit an abstract for an interactive poster or oral presentation if you are not attending the in-person meeting.)

CAN I SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT FOR ORAL OR INTERACTIVE POSTER PRESENTATION IF I AM REGISTERING FOR ON-DEMAND LIMITED ACCESS?

Unfortunately, all contributed paper and interactive poster sessions will be part of the live in-person program only, so those submitting abstracts for consideration as oral or interactive poster presentations will need to register and attend the live 2023 meeting in-person in Norfolk.

CAN I SUBMIT A SILENT ABSTRACT IF I AM REGISTERING FOR ON-DEMAND LIMITED ACCESS?

Yes. The Silent Abstract is a special abstract category for authors unable to attend the meeting in person. Abstracts submitted for the Silent Abstract category follow the same abstract format, abstract fee, and scientific review/acceptance by the Program Committee; and, if accepted, will be printed in the proceedings published after the meeting. You may choose the option for a “Silent Abstract” when you complete your submission. (Note: Please do not submit an abstract for an interactive poster or oral presentation if you are not attending the in-person meeting.)

WHAT DOES ROLLING ABSTRACT ACCEPTANCE MEAN?

For the first time, SIVB will be publishing all accepted abstracts after the meeting as a proceedings. This means that not only are abstracts being accepted and placed in the program after each deadline (January 31, February 28, and March 31), but you now have an opportunity to modify your abstract after acceptance and provide the most accurate data in our final publication. Submit your abstract in January to have it placed in the program so you can apply for funding. Should you receive updated results of your research, you can adjust your abstract up until the meeting. PLEASE NOTE: Significant modifications to your abstract may result in re-review of your submission by the Program Committee.

CAN I MODIFY MY ABSTRACT AFTER SUBMITTING IT?

Yes, abstracts will be able to be modified in the Abstract Scorecard until they are sent to the Program Committee for review and placement. Additionally, after acceptance, you will be given the ability to update the text of your abstract if your research changes up until close to the start of the meeting; however, please be aware that if you make significant modifications to your abstract, it may result in your abstract be re-reviewed by the Program Committee before you are allowed to present your research at the meeting.

IF ABSTRACTS CAN BE MODIFIED, WILL THERE BE AN ABSTRACT ISSUE HANDED OUT AT THE MEETING?

There will be a program booklet handed out that will provide attendees with schedule and session overviews, and all abstracts will be made available through the conference’s mobile app and password protected event website, but there will not be a formal abstract issue handed out at the meeting in Norfolk. Instead, in the fall, there will be a proceedings book published which will include all abstracts presented both at the conference and virtually. This publication will be available online open access on SpringerNature’s website under SIVB’s In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology – Animal journal for both in-person and on-demand registrants.

HOW DO I UPLOAD MY PRESENTATION?

POSTER PRESENTATIONS: Poster size is 4 ft by 4 ft. Upon acceptance, you will print and bring your poster with you to the event exhibit hall. There will be poster sessions available each day of the meeting and each regular poster author will need to be available for two of these sessions. The schedule of these events will be provided to you along with the details of your acceptance at a later date. Please note, in addition to bringing your poster with you to the meeting in Norfolk, you will have the opportunity to also upload your poster to the virtual Poster Gallery for the meeting and record audio describing your presentation for those who are unable to attend the meeting in person to view your work.

INTERACTIVE POSTER PRESENTATIONS: Poster size is 4 ft by 4 ft. Upon acceptance, you will print and bring your poster with you to the event exhibit hall. Sessions will be held between 1:30 – 2:30 pm Eastern Time on both Monday and Tuesday. The specific date of your Interactive Poster Session will be provided to you along with the details of your acceptance. Please note, in addition to bringing your poster with you to the meeting in Norfolk, you will have the opportunity to also upload your poster to the virtual Poster Gallery for the meeting and record audio describing your presentation for those who are unable to attend the meeting in person to view your work.

VIRTUAL POSTER PRESENTATIONS: Upon acceptance of your abstract, you will need to register for the 2023 In Vitro Biology Meeting On-Demand Limited Access. Once you have registered, you will be able to upload a pdf of your poster and record up to 5 minutes of audio describing your work. Directions on how to do this will be provided to you along with the details of your acceptance.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS (CONTRIBUTED PAPER PRESENTATIONS): You will need to prepare a PowerPoint presentation for your session. The specific date and time of your Contributed Paper Session will be provided to you along with the details of your acceptance.

For your presentation, you will be asked to both:

1. Upload a static version of your PowerPoint presentation to the Conference Harvester. This will be used by attendees to take notes in the mobile app. When preparing this version of your presentation, please make sure to remove any information that you do not wish to be available in the mobile app for this version of your presentation.
2. Bring a copy of your full PowerPoint presentations on a flash drive formatted for a PC computer. This version can include animations and other functionality within PowerPoint for your live presentation. You will bring your flash drive to the session room to upload onto the laptop about 10 minutes before the start of your scheduled session.

INVITED SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS: Invited Speakers will be contacted directly by the Business Office with details regarding the specific date and time of your presentation and any additional materials required for your presentation; however, you can expect that you will be requested to fulfill the same requirements as listed above for Oral Presentations.

INVITED SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS IN SYMPOSIA INCLUDED IN THE ON-DEMAND LIMITED ACCESS: If you are speaking in one of the recorded symposia, the entire session in which you are speaking, including your presentation and Q&A will be recorded live during the meeting in Norfolk. This session recording will be placed online as part of the On-Demand Limited Access program which will be available to meeting registrants through September 30, 2023. Please plan your topic and presentation accordingly. You will be provided with additional information regarding the recording of your session at a later date.

CAN I SEE THE PRESENTATIONS IF I REGISTER FOR THE ON-DEMAND LIMITED ACCESS?

The on-demand program will be limited to specific highlighted presentations. This will focus on the Keynote, Plenary, and Joint symposia and there will be a limited group of sessions from the Animal, Education, and Plant programs that will be included as well. All sessions that will be part of the program will be marked with an asterisk (*) online. In addition, all uploaded virtual poster presentations will be available for your viewing. The On-Demand program will not include any contributed paper or interactive poster presentations. The abstracts for these presentations will be available for your review on the event website and mobile app, but the content of the presentations will only be available to those who attend the live in-person program.

WILL THERE BE AN EXHIBITION DURING THE 2023 IN VITRO BIOLOGY MEETING?

Yes. SIVB is holding an in-person exhibition for those attending the meeting in Norfolk. This is a great opportunity to meet face-to-face with those companies who have supported the SIVB and your research. While those registering for the On-Demand Limited Access will be unable to meet the exhibitors in person, there will be information from each exhibitor including details on how to contact them available in the mobile app for your use.

Norfolk is serviced by the Norfolk International Airport (ORF), which is 10 miles (around 20 minutes) from the Hilton Norfolk The Main. The airport terminal is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Travelers should contact their airline for ticket counter hours and required check-in times. Ground transportation is located outside the arrivals area of the airport. Norfolk International Airport offers taxis and ride share options but does not offer shuttle service.

I AM ATTENDING IN PERSON. WHERE SHOULD I MAKE MY HOTEL RESERVATIONS?

The SIVB has reserved a block of rooms at the Hilton Norfolk The Main for the 2023 Meeting. Fulfilling this room block provides SIVB with discounts on the meeting space rental to hold the 2023 Annual Meeting and fulfills our contractual requirements with the Hilton. By making your reservations at Hilton Norfolk The Main, you are helping us provide you with the most economical registration rates to attend the in-person meeting as possible. Please visit the hotel information page for details and links to make your reservations directly with the Hilton.

I BOOKED A FLIGHT, BUT AM NO LONGER ATTENDING IN PERSON. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

All attendees are responsible for their own flight reservations. If you purchased flight tickets and/or travel insurance, please contact your provider and/or airline for information and next steps.