title: 50 years of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses: progress and prospects.
abstract: We mark the 50th anniversary of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) by presenting a brief history of the organization since its foundation, showing how it has adapted to advancements in our knowledge of virus diversity and the methods used to characterize it. We also outline recent developments, supported by a grant from the Wellcome Trust (UK), that are facilitating substantial changes in the operations of the ICTV and promoting dialogue with the virology community. These developments will generate improved online resources, including a freely available and regularly updated ICTV Virus Taxonomy Report. They also include a series of meetings between the ICTV and the broader community focused on some of the major challenges facing virus taxonomy, with the outcomes helping to inform the future policy and practice of the ICTV.
authors.affiliation: , 24 Woodland Way, Stevenage, Herts, SG2 8BT, UK. mike.adams.ictv@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4375-8244
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), BBRB 276, 845 19th ST South, Birmingham, AL, 35294-2170, USA.
authors.forename: Elliot J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4748-4925
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lefkowitz
authors.affiliation: Sunfield, Dawney Hill, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey, GU24 0JB, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew M Q
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Institute for Veterinary Medical Research, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungária krt. 21, 1143, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Balázs
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1410-6469
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harrach
authors.affiliation: Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, USDA, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Bldg 007 Barc-West, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8348-3874
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Surrey, GU24 0NF, UK.
authors.forename: Nick J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.affiliation: Departments of Food Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology and Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6871-6799
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kropinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75015, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Mart
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5486-0098
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krupovic
authors.affiliation: NIH/NIAID/DCR Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick (IRF-Frederick), B-8200 Research Plaza, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
authors.forename: Jens H
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7800-6045
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA, 22230, USA.
authors.forename: Arcady R
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6809-9225
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mushegian
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Ave Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Max L
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9703-9328
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nibert
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, 100 Old Hwy 12 Mail Stop 9775, Starkville, MS, 39762, USA.
authors.forename: Sead
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2995-2633
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabanadzovic
authors.affiliation: Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 4200 Highway 97, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0, Canada.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3807-3590
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sanfaçon
authors.affiliation: School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
authors.forename: Stuart G
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8702-7868
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Siddell
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Oxford, Peter Medawar Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7964-4700
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simmonds
authors.affiliation: The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874701, Tempe, AZ, 85287-4701, USA.
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4111-2415
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varsani
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fitopatologia/BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Murilo
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8617-0200
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Zerbini
authors.affiliation: MRC, University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Sir Michael Stoker Building, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3389-4325
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Orton
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Ashworth Laboratories, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, UK.
authors.forename: Donald B
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2876-5318
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, E4-P, rm. E4-72, P. O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119899, Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexander E
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4967-7341
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Gorbalenya
authors.affiliation: MRC, University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Sir Michael Stoker Building, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Davison
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D056186:Metagenomics; D010802:Phylogeny; D012958:Societies, Scientific; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*