Overview

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The Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2017 took place between Monday 3 April to Thursday 6 April and was held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), Edinburgh, UK.

The Society’s Annual Conference attracts over 1,200 attendees for Europe’s largest annual gathering of microbiologists.

This event is now sold out. 

Due to an unprecedented level of demand, we are unable to offer onsite registration this year.

A PDF version of the programme book can be downloaded below:

Annual Conference 2017 programme book


Session topics

Main symposia
  • Anaerobe 2017: molecular, genomic and metagenomic insights into anaerobic infection – Thursday
  • Annual Meeting of Protistology-UK: Intracellular infection and endosymbiosis within protists – Monday
  • Aquatic microbiology: New model organisms and new challenges – Tuesday, Wednesday
  • Cell biology of pathogen entry into host cells – Thursday
  • Clinical Virology Network – Tuesday, Wednesday
  • Critical health challenges in medical mycology – Thursday
  • Epigenetics and non-coding RNA – Wednesday, Thursday
  • Geomicrobiology – Monday, Tuesday
  • Heterogeneity and polymicrobial interactions in biofilms – Wednesday, Thursday
  • Just passing through – virus infections and the GI tract – Monday
  • Microbial cell surfaces – Wednesday, Thursday
  • Microbial circadian and metabolic rhythyms – Monday, Tuesday
  • Microbial genomics: From single cells to large populations – Wednesday, Thursday
  • Microbial mechanisms of plant pathology – Monday, Tuesday
  • Prokaryotic macromolecular machines – Monday
  • Regulation of RNA expression during virus infection – part 1 – Tuesday
  • Regulation of RNA expression during virus infection – part 2 – Thursday
  • Synthetic and systems approaches to microbiology – Monday, Tuesday
Forums
  • Environmental and applied microbiology forum – Thursday
  • Microbial physiology, metabolism and molecular mechanisms forum – Wednesday
  • Prokaryotic genetics and genomics forum – Tuesday
  • Prokaryotic infection forum – Tuesday
Virus workshops
  • Antivirals and vaccines – Wednesday
  • Clinical virology – Wednesday
  • Evolution and virus populations – Wednesday
  • Gene expression and replication – Wednesday
  • Innate immunity – Wednesday
  • Morphogenesis, egress and entry – Wednesday
  • Pathogenesis – Wednesday
Professional Development sessions
  • Post-PhD: Finding a career that suits you – Monday
  • Scientific Publishing: How to review scientific manuscripts – Tuesday
  • Scientific Publishing: How to write a manuscript for submission – Tuesday

If you have any questions please email [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter @MicrobioSoc.

Updates on the Annual Conference 2017 can be found using the hashtag: #Microbio17


Image: rabbit75_ist/Thinkstock.

Programme

Type

Session

Abstracts

The poster abstract book can be downloaded below:

Annual Conference 2017 poster abstract book


Presenting a poster

Poster numbers will be provided one week before the Conference and a poster registration desk will be onsite for support throughout the event.

Those who are presenting a poster must ensure the work is presented as below. Incorrectly formatted posters will not be displayed.

  • Poster size: A0 size 841mm(w) x 1189mm(h) – your poster must not exceed these measurements.
  • Poster layout: MUST BE portrait orientation.
  • Posters will be displayed on poster boards measuring 1m(w) x 2m(h), one to a side.
  • Posters can ONLY be fixed by Velcro (provided at conference).
  • Your viewing time and details on setting up and taking down will be advised prior to the Conference.

We have produced a guide on how to give a poster presentation, which can be downloaded below:

How to... give a poster presentation


Giving an oral presentation

Please check the online programme for your allocated time slot. You can search the programme using a keyword or name/

Presenters will be required to upload their talk in good time at the speaker preview suite.

In order to ensure your presentation runs smoothly, you are asked to comply with the following:

  • PowerPoint presentations – PC version – are brought to the conference on a USB memory stick.
  • PowerPoint presentations – Mac version – can only be accepted if you bring your own laptop and connecting cables.
  • Please ensure you have made an allowance for questions following your talk in your allocated times.
  • Forums and Offered Orals in our main symposia are 15 minutes long unless notified otherwise.
  • Offered Orals in our Virus Workshops are 12 minutes long.

We have produced a guide on how to give an oral presentation, which can be downloaded below:

How to... give an oral presentation


A companion video on top tips for presentation is also available:

Flash poster presentations

At our 2017 Conference, we will be showcasing some of the posters on display during our flash poster presentations. These will take place at our Society stand every lunchtime. Flash poster presenters will be selected in advance by the session organisers and those chosen to take part will be informed prior to the Conference. If chosen, you will need to:

  • Provide a maximum of three summary slides on PowerPoint to [email protected].
  • Prepare a two-minute presentation/pitch.
  • Answer one quick-fire question on the presented work.

Poster prizes

There will be four poster prizes available to recognise the best poster presenters over the course of the entire Annual Conference. Please see below for details of each prize. All poster prize winners will be invited to present their poster again at the Society's Annual General Meeting in September 2017.

Microbiology Society Journals' 'Most Promising Science' Prize

All poster presenters will be considered for the Microbiology Society Journals' 'Most Promising Science' Prize. At least two prizes will be awarded to posters that present particularly compelling or novel research within the subject areas of the following Society journals: MicrobiologyJournal of General VirologyJournal of Medical Microbiology and Microbial Genomics. This prize will be judged by Editors from all journals, with the winner receiving a small cash prize and certificate. For more information on the journals, visit www.microbiologyresearch.org.

Principal Investigator Poster Prize

All poster presenters will be considered for the Principal Investigator Poster Prize. Three prizes will be awarded to excellent posters based on the innovation and novelty of the research presented. This prize will be judged by members of the Society's Divisions, Counil and Committees, with the winners receiving a small cash prize and certificate.

Early Career Microbiologists' Forum Poster Prize

All members of the Early Career Microbiologists' (ECM) Forum who are presenting posters will be considered for the ECM Forum Poster Prize. This prize will be judged by the Executive Committee and will recognise the most promising ECM presenters. The winners will receive a prize and certificate.

Please note, the deadline for joining the ECM Forum in order to be considered for the Early Career Microbiologists' Forum Poster Prize is 22 March 2017.

People's Choice Poster Prize

All poster presenters will be entered into the People's Choice Poster Prize, which will identify the three most popular posters presented during the Annual Conference. All delegates will be asked to choose their favourite three posters that they visited and submit these on the voting slip provided in their delegate bag. Winners will be notified by 6 May 2017.

Sir Howard Dalton Young Microbiologist of the Year Competition

Each year, the Young Microbiologist of the Year Competition recognises and rewards excellence in science communication by a Microbiology Society Member who is a postgraduate student or postdoctoral researcher, having gained their PhD in the last two years.

During the Annual Conference, judges will be visiting posters and listening to offered orals by delegates who have entered the competition via the abstract submission. Finalists will be notified in early summer if they have been selected, and will be invited to give a 10-minute oral presentation (plus 5 minutes for questions) at the final at the Society’s Annual General Meeting in September 2017.

Registration

Registration for Annual Conference 2017 is now closed. Due to an unprecedented level of demand, we are unable to offer onsite registration this year.


What's included in the registration fee?
  • Admission to all scientific sessions
  • Admission to lunch time events
  • Full access to the trade exhibition
  • Full access to scientific poster sessions
  • Hot buffet lunch Monday to Thursday
  • Tea and coffee breaks Monday to Thursday
  • Two free drinks vouchers during the poster viewing sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening
  • A delegate bag and conference material
  • A conference programme book
  • Access to an online abstracts book
  • Certificate of Attendance
  • Access to CPD points
 

Registration Categories
(all rates are per day)

Early bird rate

Extended to

Thursday 16 March 17

Full price rate

SOLD OUT

Late rate

SOLD OUT

 

PER PERSON/

PER DAY

PER PERSON/  

PER DAY

PER PERSON/

PER DAY

Non-member

£200

£210

£220

Full Member

£100

£110

£120

Full-Concessionary Member

£60

£70

£80

Honorary Members

International Associate Member – Worldwide (excluding lower-middle and low income economies)

£100

£110

£120

International Associate Member – Resident in lower-middle income economies*

£60

£70

£80

International Associate Member – Resident in low income economies**

£55

£65

£75

Postgraduate Student Member

£55

£65

£75

Undergraduate Student Member

CVN Member

(Attendance Tuesday PM and all day Wednesday only)

£120

£130

£140

*See:

List of lower-middle income economies


**See:

List of low income economies

Social & Networking Events

When registering online you will also be able to secure your place on the following additional events. Please note, places are very limited and once fully allocated these events will no longer be open for bookings.

 

Event

Limited Places

Per Person

Sunday night pre-Conference networking event with dinner at the EICC

£20

Social programme Monday night: Quiz night with dinner at the Ghillie Dhu

£25

Social programme Wednesday night: Traditional ceilidh dinner and dance at The Hub

£50

Pre-Conference networking event

Attending your first conference? Maybe you’re travelling alone, daunted by the prospect of meeting new people, or maybe you’d just like to brush off your networking skills ready for a busy conference ahead. Whatever your reason for attending, the pre-conference networking event is the place to be on the Sunday before the Annual Conference. You’ll get to know many other delegates whilst taking part in interactive games, and also have the chance to practice networking with senior members of the Society. Why not take the opportunity to gather up an audience for your presentation later in the week, and join us as we kick start the conference.

Tickets are available for £20, this includes a packed schedule of activities, dinner and drinks. Book is via conference registration – make sure to book early to avoid disappointment: this event sells out very quickly. 

Feedback from delegates at previous events:

"This was a great way to meet new people, especially when I didn't know many."
"I got to meet people at all different levels within academia in all different specialisms."
"The highlight for me was exchanging contact details with other delegates who had useful information about my project."
"As an undergraduate student, I have really benefitted from meeting new people and learning how to speak with scientists further in their career."

Conference Grants

Applications for Society Conference Grants for Annual Conference 2017 are now closed. Eligible Full, Full Concessionary and Postgraduate Student Members who are ineligible for Society Conference Grants may apply to the 1 March deadline of Travel Grants. Please contact [email protected] for further queries.

Registration confirmation

Upon registration you should receive an automated confirmation email. Please contact [email protected] if after 24 hours this has not been received.

Visa applications

If you need a letter of invitation for a visa application, we will be happy to supply this after we have received full payment. To find out if you need a visa to visit the UK, please visit the UK visa and immigration website.

It is the policy of the Microbiology Society not to supply an invitation letter to any delegate without payment and we will not reply to any request from an unregistered delegate. When the delegate has paid, the Conference office will email back a confirmation/receipt letter and, upon request, a letter of invitation, which may be used to obtain the necessary visa.

Please note that all conference delegates are responsible for their own travel and visa arrangements; the Microbiology Society will not take any responsibility for travel or visa problems.

Payment information

All registration fees must be paid in full BEFORE arrival at the conference. Any outstanding registration fees must be paid before admittance will be granted to the conference.

Cancellations

Refunds are not provided, however substitutions of attendees can be made at any time by contacting [email protected].

Venue and directions

The conference was held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC): 

Edinburgh International Conference Centre
The Exchange
Edinburgh
EH3 8EE

General enquiries: +44(0)131 300 3000
Email: [email protected]

Directions

By car

If you are travelling using a sat nav, please use the postcode EH3 8EE. The main entrance is on Morrison Street.

By air

Edinburgh International Airport is within 6 miles of the EICC. The Airlink 100 runs between Edinburgh Airport and the city centre every 10 minutes at peak times, with the journey taking 20 minutes. This service starts at 4.30am and runs until 12.22am. Tickets cost £3.50 single and £6.00 return. Delegates are advised to disembark at Haymarket Railway Station and to follow signs for EICC on foot (5-minute walk).

The N22 bus also departs from the Aiport and runs every 30 minutes through the night until the Airlink service starts again. For more information about these services, visit www.flybybus.com.

EICC has an established relationship with Virgin Atlantic, who can offer discounted flights between Edinburgh and London on their new service, Virgin Atlantic Little Red. For more information on discounted flights, visit the Virgin Atlantic website.

By rail

Edinburgh has two railway stations – Waverley and Haymarket. Waverley is the main station, with direct routes to many cities across the UK. For more information on travelling by rail to Edinburgh, visit East Coast Trains or the National Rail website.

Virgin Trains

Virgin Trains offer discounted group travel for groups of between three and nine passengers travelling together. This currently stands at a 20% discount off Advance tickets booked through their website – for more information, visit the group tickets page of their website.

By bus

Edinburgh's main bus terminal is located at St Andrews Square. Visit Lothian Buses for more information on local bus services.

Coach

For information about travel by coach please visit the National Express website.

Car parking

There are many car parks within close walking distance of the EICC. Please see the EICC website for more details.

Accommodation

Edinburgh is a popular destination, therefore we highly recommend you secure your accommodation as soon as possible.

To aid you with this process, our booking agent Reservation Highway has secured a range of accommodation options to suit all budgets throughout Edinburgh, at discounted rates.

Annual Conference 2017 Hotel List


All accommodation can be booked online through Reservation Highway's website, or alternatively you can complete the offline booking form, which can be downloaded below:

Annual Conference 2017 Booking Form


For further information and booking, please contact Reservation Highway:
Phone: +44 (0)1423 525 577
Email: [email protected]

Social programme

On the Monday and Wednesday nights of Annual Conference 2017, we have organised two great social events for delegates. Please see below for more information.

Monday 3 April – Quiz night (FULLY BOOKED)

Ghillie Dhu
2 Rutland Place
Edinburgh
EH1 2AD

Put your general knowledge to the test by joining our fun quiz night on Monday evening! The quiz will be held at the impressive Ghillie Dhu from 20:00–23:00.

The night will start with a glass of something fizzy, followed by the quiz, alongside a fork buffet.

The quiz will start at 20:45 so make sure to be there with plenty of time to get yourself onto a team. We advise teams of 8–10 people.

The £25 ticket includes a welcome drink, fork buffet supper and entry to the quiz. Make sure to book your place soon as space is limited. A cash bar will be available throughout the evening.

Wednesday 5 April – Ceilidh (FULLY BOOKED)

The Hub ceilidh
The Hub
Castlehill
Edinburgh
EH1 2NE

Join us on Wednesday at The Hub for dinner and dancing to celebrate the last night at the Annual Conference. Guests will be able to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine on arrival, and then a five-option buffet dinner and half a bottle of wine per person.

All of this will be followed by a highly recommended, three-piece ceilidh band called Reel Time, who will get you onto the dancefloor to learn some traditional but simple ceilidh dancing. A cash bar will be available for those who wish to party into the night.

Tickets cost £50 and can be purchased online when registering for the Conference. We recommend booking early as places are strictly limited.

General information

If this is your first conference, we have created a guide to help you get the most out of your attendance. This can be downloaded below:

How to... get the most out of your first conference

Registration

Registration opens at 07:30 each day and will be located by the main entrance at the EICC. If you have any questions or need support, please visit the Conferences team here.

Badges

Badges are issued by the Microbiology Society and are only to be used by the named person for the days indicated. For security purposes, badges must be worn at all times during the Conference.

Certificates of Attendance

A certificate of attendance can be requested at the Registration Desk or by emailing [email protected]

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

The Conference has been accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (144 credits), the Royal College of Pathologists (34 credits), and the Institute of Biomedical Science (category Other).

Those wishing to claim CPD credits should sign a daily register held at the Professional Development information desk, which is located in the exhibition hall. Further information can be requested by email at [email protected].

Mobile phones

Please ensure your mobile phone is switched to silent mode or off during the scientific sessions.

Programme changes

While every effort has been made to ensure the programme is accurate, changes are unavoidable. We will ensure updates are provided throughout the Conference and update our online programme.

Posters

Posters will be presented during the lunch and evening breaks and posters will be rotated during the conference. An abstracts book can be located on our website and links to abstracts for oral presentations are now in our online programme.

Passport to Prizes

For a chance to win with our Passport to Prizes competition, you need to complete the quiz sheet in your delegate bag. The prize draw will take place on Wednesday evening at the stand and your entries must handed at the registration desk by lunchtime on Wednesday.

Photography and filming at the Conference

The Society will be carrying out filming and photography throughout the Conference. The images and videos will be used to promote the Conference and the activities of the Society. They may be used online, in Society publications, or for other PR and marketing purposes.

If you do not wish to appear in photographs or films, please make this known to a member of the team.

Recording

Only recording set up with prior permission is authorised.

Dietary requirements

All disclosed dietary requirements made at the point of registration have been shared with the catering team at the EICC in advance. However, please ensure you ask for advice if required and the catering team will do their best to accommodate your needs.

Twitter

Delegates, exhibitors and speakers tweeting from the Conference are invited to include the hashtag #Microbio17 in their tweets. You can follow the Society on Twitter @MicrobioSoc.

Exhibition

Our Annual Conference provides the ultimate gathering location for over 1,200 microbiologists and other professionals of related fields from over 20 countries. The exhibition is located in a high-traffic area, where all conference meals, coffee breaks and drinks receptions will be held, offering an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your products, interact with conference delegates and maximise leads.

You can choose from Gold, Silver and Bronze packages, or Pick and Mix options that can be tailored to your needs and your budget.

Detailed information about available exhibition packages can be found in the Exhibition and Sponsorship Pack, which can be downloaded below:

Annual Conference 2017 Exhibition & Sponsorship Pack


Exhibition floor plan

Download the latest floor plan here:

Annual Conference 2017 Exhibition Floor Plan


Registration form

To book your exhibition or sponsorship place, please download the fillable registration form below and return the completed form to [email protected]

Annual Conference 2017 Exhibition & Sponsorship Registration Form


Other sponsorship opportunities

This year, we are able to offer bespoke sponsorship opportunities that can be found on page 12 of the Exhibition & Sponsorship Pack. Please contact us for further information.

If you are interested in exhibiting at Annual Conference 2017 or any of our other events, please contact [email protected].

Exhibitors

Exhibitor r-biopharm Exhibitor Stratech Exhibitor Vitech Scientific
Exhibitor PHE Exhibitor microbes NG Exhibitor New England BioLabs
Exhibitor Li-cor Exhibitor Apollo Scientific Exhibitor AusDiagnostics
Exhibitor Constant Systems Ltd Exhibitor Electroblab Biotech Exhibitor Takara
Exhibitor MP Exhibitor Q Medical Technologies Exhibitor Hybrigenics
Exhibitor Applikon Biotechnology Exhibitor Bioline Exhibitor PCR Biosystems
Exhibitor Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Exhibitor Infors  

Sponsors

Exhibitor Oxford Biosystems Exhibitor Caister Press Exhibitor Royal Society Publishing
Exhibitor Elsevier Exhibitor Wiley Exhibitor Microorganisms
Exhibitor Nature Microbiology Exhibitor Pyro Science Exhibitor IMI Birmingham
Exhibitor CVR