Microbes are everywhere, often forming complex and dynamic communities that are responsible for the health of humans, animals, plants, and natural ecosystems. Increasingly, we recognise that microbial evolution plays a fundamentally important role in these processes. The global crisis of antimicrobial resistance is driven by microbial adaptation to antibiotic use, while microbial responses to environmental changes will profoundly impact key biogeochemical cycles in soils and oceans. Formulating solutions to these and other emerging issues demands a deep understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of microbes and microbial communities, to enable us to anticipate their reactions to selective pressures and to develop effective, resilient biotechnological solutions.
This meeting will strengthen collaborative ties between researchers working across the diverse field of microbial evolution, in the UK and overseas. There will be invited talks on a range of topics including drivers and dynamics of (pan)genome evolution, microbiome evolution, predicting microbial evolution, and the applications of microbial evolution. In addition, the meeting will provide opportunities for early career researchers to present their work in the form of contributed talks and poster presentations and to build their collaborative networks.
This meeting is the sequel to Understanding and Predicting Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics 2022.
Organising committee:
Key topics
Further information will be announced in the build-up to the meeting on our social media channels. Follow us on Twitter @MicrobioSoc and Bluesky @microbiologysociety.org using the hashtag #MicroEvo25. We will also be sharing stories on Instagram @MicrobioSoc throughout the event.
The programme of invited keynote speakers for the meeting includes:
Liam Shaw is a computational biologist based at the University of Bristol. His research focuses on the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance.
Dr. Jerónimo Rodríguez-Beltrán (Jero) is a microbiologist specializing in the evolution of antibiotic resistance. He earned his PhD at CNB-CSIC (Madrid), where he studied how antibiotics trigger genetic responses that enhance bacterial adaptation. During his postdoctoral research at IRYCIS (Madrid), he focused on plasmids, uncovering that their evolutionary impact goes beyond mere gene transfer.
In 2021, he founded the evodynamics lab (www.evodynamicslab.com), where his team combines synthetic biology and evolutionary insights to investigate how multidrug-resistant pathogens evolve and spread. Their research focuses on predicting and preventing the rise of resistant clones, laying the groundwork for personalized therapeutic strategies.
Jero has published in leading scientific journals, secured competitive funding—including an ERC Starting Grant—and collaborated with top researchers worldwide. His contributions have earned him prestigious awards, including the Karin Ippen-Ihler Memorial Prize and the Premio Nacional de Investigación "Margarita Salas", Spain’s highest honor for young scientists.
Gwen Knight is a Professor and Co-Director of the AMR Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her research uses mathematical modelling and data analysis to explore the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). She is currently funded by a UK MRC fellowship to understand how AMR prevalence varies by age and sex.
Pablo I. Nikel earned a Ph.D. in Biotechnology and Molecular Biology in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During graduate school, his research focused on engineering Escherichia coli to produce biopolymers and biofuels. After working in USA (Rice University, supported by the ASM), Pablo moved to Europe as a post-doctoral fellow funded by the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) of the European Commission. Inspired by the unique possibilities that environmental bacteria offer for bioengineering, he is now leading the Systems Environmental Microbiology Group (www.sem-cfb.com) at DTU Biosustain. Pablo’s team aims at rewriting the core bacterial biochemistry through synthetic metabolism for the biosynthesis of novel compounds with a focus on new-to-nature fine chemicals. The ambition of this research programme is expanding the very limits of microbial biochemistry—granting access to compounds that, as of today, are exclusively produced via traditional chemistry nowadays. Pablo, a Full Professor at DTU, received the Ascending Investigator and Distinguished Innovator awards from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and he is a top-tier cited scientists in the Nordic Ranking. Among other obligations, he is Editor-in-Chief of Current Opinion in Biotechnology and editor for five other journals, and a cofounder of BioHalo, a spin-out company from his laboratory pursuing bioproduction of fluorochemicals.
Registration for the Understanding and predicting microbial evolutionary dynamics 2025 is now open.
Registration fees
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Student member |
£275 |
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Concessionary member |
£370 |
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Full member |
£425 |
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Non-member |
£530 |
Microbiology Society members get heavily subsidised registration fees for Annual Conference, Focused Meetings and other Society events – both online and in-person. Join now to enjoy these discounts and many other opportunities that are designed for microbiologists at all stages of their careers.
All speakers and poster presenters will be attending in person.
Registration confirmation
Upon registration, you should receive an automated confirmation email. Please contact [email protected] if, after 24 hours, this has not been received.
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.
Refunds are not provided. However, substitutions of attendees can be made at any time before the event by contacting [email protected].
Abstract submission for Understanding and predicting microbial evolutionary dynamics 2025 is now open until 23:59 BST on 7th July 2025.
Both members and non-members of the Microbiology Society are welcome to submit an abstract for the meeting. All offered talks presentations and posters will be selected from the abstracts submitted. Once submissions are closed, they will be reviewed by the organising committee and submitters will be notified of the outcome directly. By submitting an abstract to this conference, you are indicating to the session organisers your commitment to attend the event.
Abstracts must be a maximum of 250 words. The Society has produced a guide to give delegates some tips on how to write a great abstract, which can be downloaded below:
Please note that the abstract is the only information session organisers use when deciding whether to accept your work for presentation as an offered oral or poster. If accepted, it will also be published in the abstract book for the meeting—so think carefully about what needs to be included.
The conference will take place at the Hilton Liverpool City Centre.
Hilton Liverpool City Centre is located at 3 Thomas Steers Way, Liverpool L1 8LW.
The property is located in Liverpool City Centre within a 10-minute walk of the Royal Albert Dock, The Beatles Story, and Liverpool ONE.
To support you in securing your accommodation, we provide links to our booking and accommodation services via First Choice.
First Choice has secured negotiated rates at hotels to suit a broad range of budgets.
If you require any further information for personal or group hotel bookings, please email [email protected] at any time.
Directions
Car Parking
The Hilton Liverpool City Centre has on-site parking. More information can be found on their website.
By Airport shuttle
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/lplhihi-hilton-liverpool-city-centre/hotel-info/
By train:
James Street train station is within a 6-minute walking distance of the Hilton Liverpool City Centre.
Lime Street Train Station | Liverpool Rail House is within a 14-minute walking distance from the Hilton Liverpool City Centre.
By bus:
Liverpool One bus station is within a 2-minute walking distance from the Hilton Liverpool City Centre.
Applications for the Society Events Grant to support members attending Understanding and predicting microbial evolutionary dynamics 2025 will open on 1 September 2025 and close on 15 September 2025 at 23:59 BST.
Grants will act as a contribution towards registration, travel, and accommodation expenses only.
Eligibility requirements:
Eligible membership categories:
Minimum membership period required:
A minimum membership period of one year and two consecutive membership payments is required. Postgraduate and Undergraduate with three-year memberships will need to have completed one year (three-year membership payment constitutes consecutive payment).
Please read all information carefully on the Society Events Grant page before submitting an application for funding.
FEMS Meeting Attendance Grants
Members of the Microbiology Society can apply for a FEMS Meeting Attendance grant. The grant enables early career researchers to attend microbiology meetings worldwide to network, collaborate and keep abreast of new developments in their field. Support is limited to a maximum of € 750.
Eligibility:
Applicants should be active microbiologists, having obtained their highest degree less than five years prior to the application deadline date, or be a PhD student*. They should be a member of the Microbiology Society and a presenting author (oral or poster) at the meeting.
*Periods of maternity/paternity leave, special leave or illness do not count toward this definition
Complete applications should be submitted on or before 1 September 2025, 23:59 CET.
Exhibition and sponsorship opportunities are available for this two day conference.
Please download our exhibitor and sponsor pack to view our options. If you have any questions about the packages, please email [email protected].
View exhibition and sponsorship opportunities
How to write a great abstract