Dr. Betânia Drumond is Assoc. Professor at Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, and the president of the Brazilian Society for VirologyDr. Betania Drumond is an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, and a member of the Graduate Programs in Microbiology and Applied Microbiology. She holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in Microbiology from UFMG and completed postdoctoral training in genomics at the René Rachou Institute (FIOCRUZ). Her research focuses on virology, molecular biology, and genomics, with emphasis on arbovirus diagnostics, molecular epidemiology, viral evolution, and phylodynamics. She has been contributing to research on arboviral ecology, dynamics, and evolution, and leading field-based studies and capacity-building initiatives in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Dr. Drumond has actively contributed to public health responses to emerging viral diseases, including yellow fever, dengue, and COVID-19. She has authored several peer-reviewed publications and has mentored numerous undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral fellows. She served as Virology Area Representative of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology (2019–2022), Vice-President of the Brazilian Society for Virology (2023–2024), and is currently President of the Brazilian Society for Virology (2025–2026).