This half-day symposium will present several interactive sessions which aim to bring delegates together to discuss and share innovative ways of teaching. Delegates will benefit from hearing about the successes of others and identify how best to tackle areas needing improvement. The impact of the Teaching Excellence Framework on teaching staff and the use of modern teaching methods will be explored during the afternoon. A key output of the symposium will be a network for delegates to continue to share current pedagogical approaches.
Tadhg Ó’Cróinín (University College Dublin), Alison Graham (University of Newcastle), Sarah Maddocks (Cardiff Metropolitan University), David Whitworth (Aberystwyth University)
This half-day symposium will present several interactive sessions which aim to bring delegates together to discuss and share innovative ways of teaching. Delegates will benefit from hearing about the successes of others and identify how best to tackle areas needing improvement. The impact of the Teaching Excellence Framework on teaching staff and the use of modern teaching methods will be explored during the afternoon. A key output of the symposium will be a network for delegates to continue to share current pedagogical approaches.
Tadhg Ó’Cróinín (University College Dublin), Alison Graham (University of Newcastle), Sarah Maddocks (Cardiff Metropolitan University), David Whitworth (Aberystwyth University)
Recent technological advances have greatly improved our knowledge of the distribution and dynamics of the thousands of microbial species that are found associated with the human body. In many instances, we exist in apparent harmony with this resident microbiota, but when conditions allow, this relationship can break down rapidly, often with negative consequences for human health. There remains much to be learnt regarding the behaviour of these diverse microbial communities, but such understanding is essential for us to hope to modulate the host–microbiota interface for human benefit. This session aims to bring together world leaders across both prokaryotic and eukaryotic divisions to discuss the latest advances in the study of mechanisms by which hitherto beneficial or ‘commensal’ microorganisms present in or on humans can emerge as potential pathogens. Factors that will be considered include: (i) interactions with other microbes (e.g. how cross-kingdom dialogue might stabilise or disrupt ‘protective’ microbial populations); (ii) how the host immune response modulates microbial behaviour or vice versa; (iii) how the pathogenic potential of microbes can vary according to ecological niche or ‘healthy’ vs immunocompromised host; and (iv) how microbial adaptation (e.g. transmission dynamics; acquisition or variation in gene content) can affect pathogenicity.
Ian Roberts (Quadram Institute, UK), Daniela Delneri (University of Manchester, UK), Angela Nobbs (University of Bristol, UK), Kim Hardie (University of Nottingham, UK)
Our understanding of eukaryotic cell biology is based on our ability to manipulate experimental systems. As a result, most of our knowledge is centred on a small number of model systems which do not represent the diversity of eukaryotes across the tree of life, nor do they capture all biological phenomena. Advances in genetic technologies and genome sequencing mean that we are now able to address many more fascinating questions on a broader scale, revealing new cell biology and with potential widespread importance. In this session, speakers will present the state-of-the-art in diverse emerging model systems, and discuss some of the challenges in establishing a new model, in which lineages new models are most required, approaches for sharing methodologies, and strengths and limitations of emerging systems.
Catarina Gadelha (University of Nottingham, UK), Ed Louis (University of Leicester, UK)
Escherichia coli is the best studied and well-characterised species in the world. E. coli has acted as a model in all areas of microbiology: from physiology to pathogenesis. Pathogenic E. coli isolates encompass diverse infections from bacteraemia and urinary tract infections to various diarrhoeal infections, and it has emerged as a major global antimicrobial resistance threat. Association of E. coli with animal gut microbiota has led to it being a faecal indicator organism, although it is widespread and can be persistent in the environment. Phylogenetic analyses are contributing to a new appreciation of the evolution and diversity of the species. This symposium will bring together researchers from across the full spectrum of microbiology to discuss the advances that E. coli has facilitated as both a model organism and a species worthy of research in its own right, since the last major UK conference focusing on E. coli (the Microbiology Society Spring Meeting of 2010). This meeting will be a timely opportunity to recap on our existing knowledge as well as identify future directions.
Alan McNally (University of Birmingham, UK), Nicola Holden (James Hutton Institute, UK)
A panel of representatives from funding bodies, including BBSRC, NERC, MRC and the Wellcome Trust, will provide essential insight into their expectations for grant applications. Delegates will learn about the skill and knowledge needed to write successful grant applications and have the opportunity to ask questions about what funding bodies want. This session will also give delegates the opportunity to explore how the grant-making process works. This session is aimed at those who are planning to make an application for research funding, and therefore would be useful for those at the postdoctoral researcher stage and onwards.
Nigel Brown (University of Edinburgh, UK)
Session sponsored by MP Biomedicals
Our understanding of microbial diversity, both phylogenetic and functional, continues to expand, including the realisation that a key factor in understanding the importance of microbial diversity is the interaction between organisms. Microbial interactions are varied and complex, taking place between microbes (microbe–microbe), with other organisms (e.g. plant–microbe) and with the abiotic environment. As a result, a diverse range of biological and ecological relationships have developed, including syntrophy, parasitism and symbiosis, which underpin processes such as ecosystem functioning and microbiome development. Microbial interactions are essential in global biogeochemical cycling, host response, development of antibiotic resistance and biotechnology. An array of tools are available to study microbial interactions, including omics technologies, isotope-based approaches, single-cell techniques and model microbial systems.
This session will bring together microbiologists from different fields engaged in understanding microbial interaction and their impacts on a variety of processes. This will include microbial interaction in natural ecosystems (e.g. sediments, soils, marine ecosystems and deep biosphere), engineered systems (e.g. wastewater, bioreactors) and host associated (e.g. plants).
Joanne Santini (University College London, UK), Geertje van Keulen (Swansea University, UK), Michael Cunliffe (University of Plymouth, UK)
The immune system is our main defence against microbial pathogens. A variety of model systems have been developed to allow an examination of the immune response and the factors affecting its efficacy. These systems extend from cell culture-based assays, to whole organism system utilising invertebrates (e.g. insects) or vertebrates (e.g. zebra fish). Insects such as Galleria mellonella and Bombyx mori have also been used to assess the virulence of fungal and bacterial pathogens and the results obtained show a strong correlation to those generated using mammalian models. In addition, insects have been exploited for measuring the toxicity of compounds and for assessing the in vivo efficacy of antimicrobial drugs. Recent investigations have extended the use of insect models to study disease processes such as Listeria-induced neural pathologies that show strong similarities to disease development processes in mammals. This session will highlight the use of model systems from in vitro infection assay through to in vivo models for adaptive immunity for studying the host–pathogen interactions and demonstrate how results obtained using these systems can be translated to understanding mammalian immune responses.
Rebecca Hall (University of Birmingham, UK), Kevin Kavanagh (Maynooth University, Ireland)
Modern sequencing is revealing the existence of huge numbers of viruses, many of which are related to agents that we recognise and many of which are totally new. This is evident in all parts of the living world and particularly in samples from exotic or unusual environments. As a result, we are gaining a completely new appreciation of the amazing diversity of viruses , the many ways in which they have evolved and the important effects that they are having on the planet. Their overwhelming numbers are also making us consider how taxonomy can continue to provide a key context to virology. This one day symposium adds to the growing links between the Microbiology Society and the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). The speakers are international experts in viral metagenomics, bioinformatics, evolution, phylodynamics and taxonomy. together, they will explain tremendously dynamic subject that is at the forefront of theoretical and experimental virology.
David Evans (University of St Andrews, UK), Stephen Griffin (University of Leeds, UK), Andrew Davison (University of Glasgow, UK)
Recent technological advances have greatly improved our knowledge of the distribution and dynamics of the thousands of microbial species that are found associated with the human body. In many instances, we exist in apparent harmony with this resident microbiota, but when conditions allow, this relationship can break down rapidly, often with negative consequences for human health. There remains much to be learnt regarding the behaviour of these diverse microbial communities, but such understanding is essential for us to hope to modulate the host–microbiota interface for human benefit. This session aims to bring together world leaders across both prokaryotic and eukaryotic divisions to discuss the latest advances in the study of mechanisms by which hitherto beneficial or ‘commensal’ microorganisms present in or on humans can emerge as potential pathogens. Factors that will be considered include: (i) interactions with other microbes (e.g. how cross-kingdom dialogue might stabilise or disrupt ‘protective’ microbial populations); (ii) how the host immune response modulates microbial behaviour or vice versa; (iii) how the pathogenic potential of microbes can vary according to ecological niche or ‘healthy’ vs immunocompromised host; and (iv) how microbial adaptation (e.g. transmission dynamics; acquisition or variation in gene content) can affect pathogenicity.
Ian Roberts (Quadram Institute, UK), Daniela Delneri (University of Manchester, UK), Angela Nobbs (University of Bristol, UK), Kim Hardie (University of Nottingham, UK)
Our understanding of eukaryotic cell biology is based on our ability to manipulate experimental systems. As a result, most of our knowledge is centred on a small number of model systems which do not represent the diversity of eukaryotes across the tree of life, nor do they capture all biological phenomena. Advances in genetic technologies and genome sequencing mean that we are now able to address many more fascinating questions on a broader scale, revealing new cell biology and with potential widespread importance. In this session, speakers will present the state-of-the-art in diverse emerging model systems, and discuss some of the challenges in establishing a new model, in which lineages new models are most required, approaches for sharing methodologies, and strengths and limitations of emerging systems.
Catarina Gadelha (University of Nottingham, UK), Ed Louis (University of Leicester, UK)
Escherichia coli is the best studied and well-characterised species in the world. E. coli has acted as a model in all areas of microbiology: from physiology to pathogenesis. Pathogenic E. coli isolates encompass diverse infections from bacteraemia and urinary tract infections to various diarrhoeal infections, and it has emerged as a major global antimicrobial resistance threat. Association of E. coli with animal gut microbiota has led to it being a faecal indicator organism, although it is widespread and can be persistent in the environment. Phylogenetic analyses are contributing to a new appreciation of the evolution and diversity of the species. This symposium will bring together researchers from across the full spectrum of microbiology to discuss the advances that E. coli has facilitated as both a model organism and a species worthy of research in its own right, since the last major UK conference focusing on E. coli (the Microbiology Society Spring Meeting of 2010). This meeting will be a timely opportunity to recap on our existing knowledge as well as identify future directions.
Alan McNally (University of Birmingham, UK), Nicola Holden (James Hutton Institute, UK)
Session sponsored by MP Biomedicals
Our understanding of microbial diversity, both phylogenetic and functional, continues to expand, including the realisation that a key factor in understanding the importance of microbial diversity is the interaction between organisms. Microbial interactions are varied and complex, taking place between microbes (microbe–microbe), with other organisms (e.g. plant–microbe) and with the abiotic environment. As a result, a diverse range of biological and ecological relationships have developed, including syntrophy, parasitism and symbiosis, which underpin processes such as ecosystem functioning and microbiome development. Microbial interactions are essential in global biogeochemical cycling, host response, development of antibiotic resistance and biotechnology. An array of tools are available to study microbial interactions, including omics technologies, isotope-based approaches, single-cell techniques and model microbial systems.
This session will bring together microbiologists from different fields engaged in understanding microbial interaction and their impacts on a variety of processes. This will include microbial interaction in natural ecosystems (e.g. sediments, soils, marine ecosystems and deep biosphere), engineered systems (e.g. wastewater, bioreactors) and host associated (e.g. plants).
Joanne Santini (University College London, UK), Geertje van Keulen (Swansea University, UK), Michael Cunliffe (University of Plymouth, UK)
The immune system is our main defence against microbial pathogens. A variety of model systems have been developed to allow an examination of the immune response and the factors affecting its efficacy. These systems extend from cell culture-based assays, to whole organism system utilising invertebrates (e.g. insects) or vertebrates (e.g. zebra fish). Insects such as Galleria mellonella and Bombyx mori have also been used to assess the virulence of fungal and bacterial pathogens and the results obtained show a strong correlation to those generated using mammalian models. In addition, insects have been exploited for measuring the toxicity of compounds and for assessing the in vivo efficacy of antimicrobial drugs. Recent investigations have extended the use of insect models to study disease processes such as Listeria-induced neural pathologies that show strong similarities to disease development processes in mammals. This session will highlight the use of model systems from in vitro infection assay through to in vivo models for adaptive immunity for studying the host–pathogen interactions and demonstrate how results obtained using these systems can be translated to understanding mammalian immune responses.
Rebecca Hall (University of Birmingham, UK), Kevin Kavanagh (Maynooth University, Ireland)
Modern sequencing is revealing the existence of huge numbers of viruses, many of which are related to agents that we recognise and many of which are totally new. This is evident in all parts of the living world and particularly in samples from exotic or unusual environments. As a result, we are gaining a completely new appreciation of the amazing diversity of viruses , the many ways in which they have evolved and the important effects that they are having on the planet. Their overwhelming numbers are also making us consider how taxonomy can continue to provide a key context to virology. This one day symposium adds to the growing links between the Microbiology Society and the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). The speakers are international experts in viral metagenomics, bioinformatics, evolution, phylodynamics and taxonomy. together, they will explain tremendously dynamic subject that is at the forefront of theoretical and experimental virology.
David Evans (University of St Andrews, UK), Stephen Griffin (University of Leeds, UK), Andrew Davison (University of Glasgow, UK)
Recent technological advances have greatly improved our knowledge of the distribution and dynamics of the thousands of microbial species that are found associated with the human body. In many instances, we exist in apparent harmony with this resident microbiota, but when conditions allow, this relationship can break down rapidly, often with negative consequences for human health. There remains much to be learnt regarding the behaviour of these diverse microbial communities, but such understanding is essential for us to hope to modulate the host–microbiota interface for human benefit. This session aims to bring together world leaders across both prokaryotic and eukaryotic divisions to discuss the latest advances in the study of mechanisms by which hitherto beneficial or ‘commensal’ microorganisms present in or on humans can emerge as potential pathogens. Factors that will be considered include: (i) interactions with other microbes (e.g. how cross-kingdom dialogue might stabilise or disrupt ‘protective’ microbial populations); (ii) how the host immune response modulates microbial behaviour or vice versa; (iii) how the pathogenic potential of microbes can vary according to ecological niche or ‘healthy’ vs immunocompromised host; and (iv) how microbial adaptation (e.g. transmission dynamics; acquisition or variation in gene content) can affect pathogenicity.
Ian Roberts (Quadram Institute, UK), Daniela Delneri (University of Manchester, UK), Angela Nobbs (University of Bristol, UK), Kim Hardie (University of Nottingham, UK)
Escherichia coli is the best studied and well-characterised species in the world. E. coli has acted as a model in all areas of microbiology: from physiology to pathogenesis. Pathogenic E. coli isolates encompass diverse infections from bacteraemia and urinary tract infections to various diarrhoeal infections, and it has emerged as a major global antimicrobial resistance threat. Association of E. coli with animal gut microbiota has led to it being a faecal indicator organism, although it is widespread and can be persistent in the environment. Phylogenetic analyses are contributing to a new appreciation of the evolution and diversity of the species. This symposium will bring together researchers from across the full spectrum of microbiology to discuss the advances that E. coli has facilitated as both a model organism and a species worthy of research in its own right, since the last major UK conference focusing on E. coli (the Microbiology Society Spring Meeting of 2010). This meeting will be a timely opportunity to recap on our existing knowledge as well as identify future directions.
Alan McNally (University of Birmingham, UK), Nicola Holden (James Hutton Institute, UK)
This hands-on workshop will introduce you to the range of publicly accessible data resources and tools developed and maintained by EMBL-EBI. You will be shown how to explore the services available and how to quickly search for data of interest, focusing on those services which contain microbiologically relevant data. Additionally you will gain some tips and best practice for managing your data and preparing it for submission to a public resource. Bring along a laptop or tablet to join in the hands-on practical – no previous experience of bioinformatics or any specific software (except for a web browser) is required for you to join this workshop.
Melissa Burke (The European Bioinformatics Institute, UK)
The capacity of pathogenic micro-organisms to adapt to changes in environmental metal availability is critical for pathogenicity. Certain inorganic trace elements, including iron, zinc and copper, are essential for life, but can also be toxic. The mammalian immune system has harnessed both the essentiality and toxicity of these micronutrients to combat microbial infections: processes known as “nutritional immunity”. For example, the vast majority of iron and zinc in the human body is tightly bound and compartmentalised, and nutritional restriction increases further during inflammation. Microbial pathogens require micronutrients not only for basic physiology and proliferation, but for counteracting other arms of immunity. For example, both catalases and superoxide dismutases require metal cofactors for function. In contrast, certain immune phagocytes flood their phagosomes with potentially lethal levels of copper. Therefore, in order to survive and proliferate within a mammalian host, microbial pathogens must possess highly efficient metal homeostatic mechanisms. Recently, significant advances have been made in our understanding of how microbial pathogens fine-tune cellular metal homeostasis in order to deal with the challenging environments faced during infection. This session will cover the molecular mechanisms of microbial metal homeostasis and how these processes contribute to pathogenicity and virulence. “Microbial metal homeostasis: impacts on pathogenicity” covers a variety of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogenic species and will therefore be of interest to bacteriologists and mycologists, as well as immunologists interested in the pathogenesis of microbial infections.
Duncan Wilson (University of Aberdeen, UK), Kevin Waldron (University of Newcastle, UK)
Synthetic ecology involves the design and engineering of microbial consortia, either to gain a better understanding of microbial community function or to build new functioning communities. It is a rapidly emerging research topic that brings the tools of synthetic biology into microbial ecology. There are many examples where important ecological functions or biotechnological processes are carried out by microbial consortia rather than individual species: for example, biogeochemical cycles, human gut function, wastewater treatment, among many others. Engineering microbial communities can involve manipulating existing communities or designing entirely new interactions to carry out a particular function. This is an exciting research topic that spans basic and applied disciplines, includes concepts like mathematical modelling and touches on important biological themes like signalling, symbiosis and nutrient exchange. Using synthetic ecology to develop new microbial consortia, as opposed to single-species cell factories, might be the next big development in microbial biotechnology.
John Morrissey (University College Cork, Ireland), Geertje van Keulen (Swansea University, USA), Mat Goddard (University of Lincoln, UK)
The successful replication of all viruses, regardless of whether they have an RNA or DNA genome, relies on the translation of their proteins by the cellular translation machinery. In response to virus infection, the host aims to stop translation and shut down virus production, resulting in a dynamic battle between host and virus to gain control of the ribosome. Viruses have developed a range of strategies to win this battle, such as bypassing normal initiation processes, hijacking translation factors, shutting off host protein synthesis in favour of their own, and inhibiting the signalling pathways that control translation. This two-day symposium will incorporate an overview of virus manipulation of the translation process, from a range of international experts on plant, insect and mammalian systems, providing a broad and up-to-date account of the field.
Gill Elliott (University of Surrey, UK), Chris McCormick (University of Southampton, UK), Martina Scallan (University College Cork, Ireland), Andrew MacDonald (University of Leeds, UK)
The capacity of pathogenic micro-organisms to adapt to changes in environmental metal availability is critical for pathogenicity. Certain inorganic trace elements, including iron, zinc and copper, are essential for life, but can also be toxic. The mammalian immune system has harnessed both the essentiality and toxicity of these micronutrients to combat microbial infections: processes known as “nutritional immunity”. For example, the vast majority of iron and zinc in the human body is tightly bound and compartmentalised, and nutritional restriction increases further during inflammation. Microbial pathogens require micronutrients not only for basic physiology and proliferation, but for counteracting other arms of immunity. For example, both catalases and superoxide dismutases require metal cofactors for function. In contrast, certain immune phagocytes flood their phagosomes with potentially lethal levels of copper. Therefore, in order to survive and proliferate within a mammalian host, microbial pathogens must possess highly efficient metal homeostatic mechanisms. Recently, significant advances have been made in our understanding of how microbial pathogens fine-tune cellular metal homeostasis in order to deal with the challenging environments faced during infection. This session will cover the molecular mechanisms of microbial metal homeostasis and how these processes contribute to pathogenicity and virulence. “Microbial metal homeostasis: impacts on pathogenicity” covers a variety of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogenic species and will therefore be of interest to bacteriologists and mycologists, as well as immunologists interested in the pathogenesis of microbial infections.
Duncan Wilson (University of Aberdeen, UK), Kevin Waldron (University of Newcastle, UK)
Bacterial transitions between host species, including humans and wild and domesticated animals, is typically accompanied by evolutionary changes that promote survival in the novel niche. Understanding the dynamics of zoonotic infection and the nature of host adaptation is key for describing human and animal disease emergence and epidemiology. Recent technical advances, for example high-throughput sequencing, are providing new opportunities for investigating bacteria–host ecology, epidemiology and evolution. These include identification of emergent zoonoses, determining the direction and timescale of host jumps, identifying genomic elements associated with host adaptation – and their encoded functions – and investigating the evolutionary landscape that promotes host transition. This session provides an opportunity for zoonosis researchers to come together and present the latest research in this area. Drawing on the recent studies, we describe the current understanding of host-association patterns in structured bacterial populations, mechanisms of evolution, and the genetic and functional basis of bacterial pathogen host-adaptation. The session will be an opportunity to (i) assess new emerging diseases; (ii) present new insights using modern techniques; (iii) update epidemiological studies of important zoonotic pathogens; and (iv) discuss novel approaches for controlling the emergence of new pathogenic clones.
Samuel K. Sheppard (University of Bath, UK), Nicola Holden (James Hutton Institute, UK), Jonathan G. Shaw (University of Sheffield, UK), Luigi Marongiu (University of Edinburgh, UK)
This session will involve a range of clinical virology cases which relate to studies relevant to the Clinical Virology Network. Different aspects of clinical virology that will be covered include: differential diagnosis of encephalitis, management of hepatitis, diversity of rotavirus sequences, and diagnosis of respiratory infections.
Stephen Winchester (Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK) and Tamyo Mbisa (Public Health England, UK)
Offered papers will be presented in areas related to infections caused by prokaryote and eukaryote pathogens of human, veterinary or botanical significance including epidemiology, diagnosis, identification, typing, pathogenesis, treatment, antimicrobial agents and resistance, prevention, virulence factors, host responses and immunity, transmission, and models of infection at the cell, tissue or whole organism level.
Sabine Tötemeyer, Sarah Maddocks, Steve Michell, Daniela Delneri
Synthetic ecology involves the design and engineering of microbial consortia, either to gain a better understanding of microbial community function or to build new functioning communities. It is a rapidly emerging research topic that brings the tools of synthetic biology into microbial ecology. There are many examples where important ecological functions or biotechnological processes are carried out by microbial consortia rather than individual species: for example, biogeochemical cycles, human gut function, wastewater treatment, among many others. Engineering microbial communities can involve manipulating existing communities or designing entirely new interactions to carry out a particular function. This is an exciting research topic that spans basic and applied disciplines, includes concepts like mathematical modelling and touches on important biological themes like signalling, symbiosis and nutrient exchange. Using synthetic ecology to develop new microbial consortia, as opposed to single-species cell factories, might be the next big development in microbial biotechnology.
John Morrissey (University College Cork, Ireland), Geertje van Keulen (Swansea University, USA), Mat Goddard (University of Lincoln, UK)
The successful replication of all viruses, regardless of whether they have an RNA or DNA genome, relies on the translation of their proteins by the cellular translation machinery. In response to virus infection, the host aims to stop translation and shut down virus production, resulting in a dynamic battle between host and virus to gain control of the ribosome. Viruses have developed a range of strategies to win this battle, such as bypassing normal initiation processes, hijacking translation factors, shutting off host protein synthesis in favour of their own, and inhibiting the signalling pathways that control translation. This two-day symposium will incorporate an overview of virus manipulation of the translation process, from a range of international experts on plant, insect and mammalian systems, providing a broad and up-to-date account of the field.
Gill Elliott (University of Surrey, UK), Chris McCormick (University of Southampton, UK), Martina Scallan (University College Cork, Ireland), Andrew MacDonald (University of Leeds, UK)
Bacterial transitions between host species, including humans and wild and domesticated animals, is typically accompanied by evolutionary changes that promote survival in the novel niche. Understanding the dynamics of zoonotic infection and the nature of host adaptation is key for describing human and animal disease emergence and epidemiology. Recent technical advances, for example high-throughput sequencing, are providing new opportunities for investigating bacteria–host ecology, epidemiology and evolution. These include identification of emergent zoonoses, determining the direction and timescale of host jumps, identifying genomic elements associated with host adaptation – and their encoded functions – and investigating the evolutionary landscape that promotes host transition. This session provides an opportunity for zoonosis researchers to come together and present the latest research in this area. Drawing on the recent studies, we describe the current understanding of host-association patterns in structured bacterial populations, mechanisms of evolution, and the genetic and functional basis of bacterial pathogen host-adaptation. The session will be an opportunity to (i) assess new emerging diseases; (ii) present new insights using modern techniques; (iii) update epidemiological studies of important zoonotic pathogens; and (iv) discuss novel approaches for controlling the emergence of new pathogenic clones.
Samuel K. Sheppard (University of Bath, UK), Nicola Holden (James Hutton Institute, UK), Jonathan G. Shaw (University of Sheffield, UK), Luigi Marongiu (University of Edinburgh, UK)
Like all other living organisms, microbial DNA suffers continual physical and chemical assault. Indeed, some bacteria (such as the radiation-resistant species Deinococcus radiodurans) even thrive in environments that are hostile to DNA integrity. However, if not repaired, the resulting lesions become fixed during DNA replication, leading to heritable alterations in the genome. We now know that a plethora of elegant mechanisms are used to identify and repair the different types of DNA damage that can accrue, and the last decade has seen step changes in our understanding of these mechanisms at the molecular and cellular level. In this session, we explore these advances in detail, and also take a look at what happens when the repair machinery fails. For example, one consequence of defective DNA repair is an increase in the mutation rate, effectively "pumping the gas-pedal of the evolutionary accelerator" and catalysing the appearance of adaptive traits such as antibiotic resistance. A better understanding of the mechanisms that constrain this evolutionary playground therefore has very direct relevance to basic scientists, clinicians, and evolutionary biologists alike.
Martin Welch (University of Cambridge, UK), Lori Snyder (Kingston University, UK)
This forum focuses on any area in environmental, ecological, applied and industrial microbiology, including (non-human) host–microbe communities and interactions, marine and freshwater microbiology, soil and geomicrobiology, air-, cryo- and extremophile microbiology, climate change, biotechnology, bio-processing and bio-engineering, food microbiology, and other applied and industrial microbial processes, including microbe-mediated biodegradation and bioremediation.
Jon Shaw, Jennifer Mitchell, Ryan Seipke, Tasos Tsaousis
Scientists can play an important role informing policy-making, whether providing scientific evidence and solutions to policy-makers to help address grand challenges such as antimicrobial resistance or climate change, or informing science policy on research skills, funding, and infrastructure. This workshop will feature talks from Dr Sarah Bunn (Scientific Adviser, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology), James Tooze (Policy Officer, Campaign for Science and Engineering) and Dr Paul Richards (Policy Manager, Microbiology Society) about the role of research in parliament and government, and how microbiologists can engage with policy-making. Interactive sessions will enable participants to develop knowledge and skills to effectively communicate their science to policy-makers.
Sarah Bunn (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology [POST], UK), James Tooze (Campaign for Science and Engineering, UK), Paul Richards (Microbiology Society, UK), Roya Ziaie (Microbiology Society, UK)
Offered papers will be presented in areas related to infections caused by prokaryote and eukaryote pathogens of human, veterinary or botanical significance including epidemiology, diagnosis, identification, typing, pathogenesis, treatment, antimicrobial agents and resistance, prevention, virulence factors, host responses and immunity, transmission, and models of infection at the cell, tissue or whole organism level.
Sabine Tötemeyer, Sarah Maddocks, Steve Michell, Daniela Delneri
The Games Microbes Play symposium will address a broad set of questions from the angle of Evolutionary Game Theory, conceptualising issues of cooperation and conflict that can arise between individuals of the same species, commensals of different species, as well as hosts and parasites. Topics of relevance to medical microbiologists and also sociobiologists, theoreticians as well as experimentalists, will be encouraged, from bacterial infection to conflict between social amoebae, to cooperation between insects and their microbial symbionts. Invited speakers represent experimentalists and theorists and the session should interest microbiologists across all Divisions of the Society, since small genomes are especially tractable to analysis of the strategies encoded within them. Several groups within the UK work on aspects of social evolution in microbes, and we will encourage them to submit abstracts, and we also hope to welcome submissions from a wide range of microbiologists working on related issues.
Gareth Bloomfield (MRC-LMB Cambridge, UK), Elinor Thompson (University of Greenwich, UK)
This workshop will involve a range of clinical virology cases or short papers which relate to studies relevant to clinical virology network. Different aspects of clinical virology that will be covered include: differential diagnosis of encephalitis, management of hepatitis, diversity of rotavirus sequences, and diagnosis of respiratory infections.
Stephen Winchester (Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK), Tamyo Mbisa (Public Health England, UK)
We invite abstracts on any aspect of DNA viruses. Depending on the abstracts received, the workshop will be structured around a typical life-cycle of DNA viruses and will cover virus entry and uncoating, genome replication, particle structure, assembly and egress. Pathogenesis will be covered to demonstrate the diversity of diseases that these viruses cause, together with the host response to infection, and vaccine or antiviral-based treatments or therapies that can be used to combat infection. Both human and animal pathogens will be covered, including the opportunity for clinicians to present studies on ongoing outbreaks or epidemiological studies.
Colin Crump (University of Cambridge, UK), Joanna Parish (University of Birmingham, UK)
We invite abstracts on any aspect of the biology of negative strand RNA viruses. Depending on the abstracts received, the workshop will be structured around a typical life-cycle of these viruses and will cover virus entry and uncoating, genome replication, particle structure, assembly and egress. Pathogenesis will be covered to demonstrate the diversity of diseases that these viruses cause, together with the host response to infection, and vaccine or antiviral-based treatments or therapies that can be used to combat infection. Both human and animal pathogens will be covered, including the opportunity for clinicians to present studies on ongoing outbreaks or epidemiological studies.
Silke Schepelmann (NIBSC, UK), Martina Scallan (University College Cork, Ireland)
We invite abstracts on any aspect of the biology of positive strand and double strand RNA viruses. Depending on the abstracts received, the workshop will be structured around a typical life-cycle of these viruses and will cover virus entry and uncoating, genome replication, particle structure, assembly and egress. Pathogenesis will be covered to demonstrate the diversity of diseases that these viruses cause, together with the host response to infection, and vaccine or antiviral-based treatments or therapies that can be used to combat infection. Both human and animal pathogens will be covered, including the opportunity for clinicians to present studies on ongoing outbreaks or epidemiological studies.
Chris McCormick (University of Southampton, UK), Erica Bickerton (The Pirbright Institute, UK)
We invite abstracts on any aspect of retrovirus biology. Depending on the abstracts received, the workshop will be structured around a typical life-cycle of a retrovirus and will cover virus entry and uncoating, genome replication, particle structure, assembly and egress. Pathogenesis will be covered to demonstrate the diversity of diseases that these viruses cause, together with the host response to infection, and vaccine or antiviral-based treatments or therapies that can be used to combat infection. Both human and animal pathogens will be covered, including the opportunity for clinicians to present studies on ongoing outbreaks or epidemiological studies.
Kate Bishop (The Francis Crick Institute, UK), Stuart Neil (King's College London, UK)
Bacterial transitions between host species, including humans and wild and domesticated animals, is typically accompanied by evolutionary changes that promote survival in the novel niche. Understanding the dynamics of zoonotic infection and the nature of host adaptation is key for describing human and animal disease emergence and epidemiology. Recent technical advances, for example high-throughput sequencing, are providing new opportunities for investigating bacteria–host ecology, epidemiology and evolution. These include identification of emergent zoonoses, determining the direction and timescale of host jumps, identifying genomic elements associated with host adaptation – and their encoded functions – and investigating the evolutionary landscape that promotes host transition. This session provides an opportunity for zoonosis researchers to come together and present the latest research in this area. Drawing on the recent studies, we describe the current understanding of host-association patterns in structured bacterial populations, mechanisms of evolution, and the genetic and functional basis of bacterial pathogen host-adaptation. The session will be an opportunity to (i) assess new emerging diseases; (ii) present new insights using modern techniques; (iii) update epidemiological studies of important zoonotic pathogens; and (iv) discuss novel approaches for controlling the emergence of new pathogenic clones.
Samuel K. Sheppard (University of Bath, UK), Nicola Holden (James Hutton Institute, UK), Jonathan G. Shaw (University of Sheffield, UK), Luigi Marongiu (University of Edinburgh, UK)
This session will involve a range of clinical virology cases which relate to studies relevant to the Clinical Virology Network. Different aspects of clinical virology that will be covered include: differential diagnosis of encephalitis, management of hepatitis, diversity of rotavirus sequences, and diagnosis of respiratory infections.
Stephen Winchester (Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK) and Tamyo Mbisa (Public Health England, UK)
Session sponsored by eLIFE
The living host provides complex ecological niches for thriving microbial communities. Metagenomic and metataxonomic analyses of these microbiotas, along with fluorescence microscopy, reveal which microbes are present within these communities and provide an indication of their relative abundance. These data are now informing our understanding of microbial interactions and the living host. This symposium will address aspects of prokaryote, eukaryote and bacteriophage component interactions of the microbiota in relation to health, disease and the immune system. The major sites of microbial colonisation (the skin, the gastrointestinal tract and the female genital tract) will be included. Offered papers relating to microbiota interactions in both humans and other animals will be considered for presentation within the symposium.
Sheila Patrick (Queen's University Belfast, UK), Sarah Kuehne (University of Birmingham, UK), Sabine Tötemeyer (University of Nottingham, UK), Susan Crosthwaite (University of Manchester, UK), Julian Marchesi (Cardiff University, UK)
Like all other living organisms, microbial DNA suffers continual physical and chemical assault. Indeed, some bacteria (such as the radiation-resistant species Deinococcus radiodurans) even thrive in environments that are hostile to DNA integrity. However, if not repaired, the resulting lesions become fixed during DNA replication, leading to heritable alterations in the genome. We now know that a plethora of elegant mechanisms are used to identify and repair the different types of DNA damage that can accrue, and the last decade has seen step changes in our understanding of these mechanisms at the molecular and cellular level. In this session, we explore these advances in detail, and also take a look at what happens when the repair machinery fails. For example, one consequence of defective DNA repair is an increase in the mutation rate, effectively "pumping the gas-pedal of the evolutionary accelerator" and catalysing the appearance of adaptive traits such as antibiotic resistance. A better understanding of the mechanisms that constrain this evolutionary playground therefore has very direct relevance to basic scientists, clinicians, and evolutionary biologists alike.
Martin Welch (University of Cambridge, UK), Lori Snyder (Kingston University, UK)
This forum will consider offered papers on all aspects of microbial (prokaryotic and eukaryotic) metabolism and physiology, including fundamental research on the biochemistry and structure of cells, cell growth and division, cell architecture and differentiation, synthesis and transport of macromolecules, ions and small molecules and the cell cycle; but also on the role of physiology in microbial engineering, signalling and communication, sensing and cellular responses, the molecular mechanisms behind these phenomena and their potential applications.
Nick Waterfield, Gillian Fraser
The Games Microbes Play symposium will address a broad set of questions from the angle of Evolutionary Game Theory, conceptualising issues of cooperation and conflict that can arise between individuals of the same species, commensals of different species, as well as hosts and parasites. Topics of relevance to medical microbiologists and also sociobiologists, theoreticians as well as experimentalists, will be encouraged, from bacterial infection to conflict between social amoebae, to cooperation between insects and their microbial symbionts. Invited speakers represent experimentalists and theorists and the session should interest microbiologists across all Divisions of the Society, since small genomes are especially tractable to analysis of the strategies encoded within them. Several groups within the UK work on aspects of social evolution in microbes, and we will encourage them to submit abstracts, and we also hope to welcome submissions from a wide range of microbiologists working on related issues.
Gareth Bloomfield (MRC-LMB Cambridge, UK), Elinor Thompson (University of Greenwich, UK)
We invite abstracts on any aspect of DNA viruses. Depending on the abstracts received, the workshop will be structured around a typical life-cycle of DNA viruses and will cover virus entry and uncoating, genome replication, particle structure, assembly and egress. Pathogenesis will be covered to demonstrate the diversity of diseases that these viruses cause, together with the host response to infection, and vaccine or antiviral-based treatments or therapies that can be used to combat infection. Both human and animal pathogens will be covered, including the opportunity for clinicians to present studies on ongoing outbreaks or epidemiological studies.
Colin Crump (University of Cambridge, UK), Joanna Parish (University of Birmingham, UK)
We invite abstracts on any aspect of the biology of negative strand RNA viruses. Depending on the abstracts received, the workshop will be structured around a typical life-cycle of these viruses and will cover virus entry and uncoating, genome replication, particle structure, assembly and egress. Pathogenesis will be covered to demonstrate the diversity of diseases that these viruses cause, together with the host response to infection, and vaccine or antiviral-based treatments or therapies that can be used to combat infection. Both human and animal pathogens will be covered, including the opportunity for clinicians to present studies on ongoing outbreaks or epidemiological studies.
Silke Schepelmann (NIBSC, UK), Martina Scallan (University College Cork, Ireland)
We invite abstracts on any aspect of the biology of positive strand and double strand RNA viruses. Depending on the abstracts received, the workshop will be structured around a typical life-cycle of these viruses and will cover virus entry and uncoating, genome replication, particle structure, assembly and egress. Pathogenesis will be covered to demonstrate the diversity of diseases that these viruses cause, together with the host response to infection, and vaccine or antiviral-based treatments or therapies that can be used to combat infection. Both human and animal pathogens will be covered, including the opportunity for clinicians to present studies on ongoing outbreaks or epidemiological studies.
Chris McCormick (University of Southampton, UK), Erica Bickerton (The Pirbright Institute, UK)
This workshop is linked to the symposium on ‘The global virome’. It is intended to provide a platform for both wet- and dry-lab virologists working in this fast-moving and data-intensive area. Abstracts are invited on any aspect of the scope, causes and consequences of viral diversity, including those relating to the inter- and intra-host evolution, metagenomics, discovery, bioinformatics, phylogenetics, taxonomy and pathogenesis of viruses. This wide spectrum of topics also includes developments in the methodologies used to study viral diversity.
Steve Griffin (University of Leeds, UK), Andrew Davison (University of Glasgow, UK)
Session sponsored by eLIFE
The living host provides complex ecological niches for thriving microbial communities. Metagenomic and metataxonomic analyses of these microbiotas, along with fluorescence microscopy, reveal which microbes are present within these communities and provide an indication of their relative abundance. These data are now informing our understanding of microbial interactions and the living host. This symposium will address aspects of prokaryote, eukaryote and bacteriophage component interactions of the microbiota in relation to health, disease and the immune system. The major sites of microbial colonisation (the skin, the gastrointestinal tract and the female genital tract) will be included. Offered papers relating to microbiota interactions in both humans and other animals will be considered for presentation within the symposium.
Sheila Patrick (Queen's University Belfast, UK), Sarah Kuehne (University of Birmingham, UK), Sabine Tötemeyer (University of Nottingham, UK), Susan Crosthwaite (University of Manchester, UK), Julian Marchesi (Cardiff University, UK)
Mushrooms are magical in a way no other microbe is – their amazing macro-structure means they are instantly visible and recognisable, often brightly coloured and decorating autumn forests. Yet fungi (other than yeast and pathogenic strains) do not feature in the conference line up of any major microbiology meeting. It is our intention to redress that balance by dedicating this session to a variety of research interests that focus on fungi that form fruiting bodies (colloquially known as mushrooms). These include some ascomycetes but are primarily represented by basidiomycetes. We want to look at the ecology of these wonderful organisms, at how endangered they are and the steps being taken to protect them, but also at how they can be used in industry and medicine. The session will highlight links between fundamental research and its applications in medicine and other industrial purposes – thereby giving the programme broader appeal. It is anticipated that a good number of offered oral presentations combined with diverse invited speakers will enable a varied programme looking at fundamental research into fungal ecology and how ‘omics are being used to understand fungal behaviour and conservation, how fungi can be used in bioremediation, and how they may be mined for antimicrobial compounds.
Rebecca Hall (University of Birmingham, UK), Suzy Moody (Swansea University, UK)
Recent years have seen extraordinary advances in the technologies available to study microbial biology. The development of new techniques to probe individual cells and molecules is a major driver of scientific advance. This session aims to cover and showcase a number of new advanced techniques that have been successfully applied to microbiology, including mass spectrometry imaging, light and electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. These have diverse applications which we anticipate will attract a broad audience across all the divisions.
Jason King (University of Sheffield, UK), Ryan Seipke (University of Leeds, UK), Katherine Duncan (University of Strathclyde, UK), Kim Hardie (University of Nottingham, UK)
Offered papers on all aspects of the genes and genomes of microbes (prokaryotes and eukaryotes) and their mobile elements will be considered, including their sequencing, transcription, translation, regulation, chromosome dynamics, gene transfer, population genetics and evolution, taxonomy and systematics, comparative genomics, metagenomics, bioinformatics, and synthetic biology.
Ryan Seipke, Lori Synder, Ed Louis
The successful replication of all viruses, regardless of whether they have an RNA or DNA genome, relies on the translation of their proteins by the cellular translation machinery. In response to virus infection, the host aims to stop translation and shut down virus production, resulting in a dynamic battle between host and virus to gain control of the ribosome. Viruses have developed a range of strategies to win this battle, such as bypassing normal initiation processes, hijacking translation factors, shutting off host protein synthesis in favour of their own, and inhibiting the signalling pathways that control translation. This two-day symposium will incorporate an overview of virus manipulation of the translation process, from a range of international experts on plant, insect and mammalian systems, providing a broad and up-to-date account of the field.
Gill Elliott (University of Surrey, UK), Chris McCormick (University of Southampton, UK), Martina Scallan (University College Cork, Ireland), Andrew MacDonald (University of Leeds, UK)
Session sponsored by eLIFE
The living host provides complex ecological niches for thriving microbial communities. Metagenomic and metataxonomic analyses of these microbiotas, along with fluorescence microscopy, reveal which microbes are present within these communities and provide an indication of their relative abundance. These data are now informing our understanding of microbial interactions and the living host. This symposium will address aspects of prokaryote, eukaryote and bacteriophage component interactions of the microbiota in relation to health, disease and the immune system. The major sites of microbial colonisation (the skin, the gastrointestinal tract and the female genital tract) will be included. Offered papers relating to microbiota interactions in both humans and other animals will be considered for presentation within the symposium.
Sheila Patrick (Queen's University Belfast, UK), Sarah Kuehne (University of Birmingham, UK), Sabine Tötemeyer (University of Nottingham, UK), Susan Crosthwaite (University of Manchester, UK), Julian Marchesi (Cardiff University, UK)
Mushrooms are magical in a way no other microbe is – their amazing macro-structure means they are instantly visible and recognisable, often brightly coloured and decorating autumn forests. Yet fungi (other than yeast and pathogenic strains) do not feature in the conference line up of any major microbiology meeting. It is our intention to redress that balance by dedicating this session to a variety of research interests that focus on fungi that form fruiting bodies (colloquially known as mushrooms). These include some ascomycetes but are primarily represented by basidiomycetes. We want to look at the ecology of these wonderful organisms, at how endangered they are and the steps being taken to protect them, but also at how they can be used in industry and medicine. The session will highlight links between fundamental research and its applications in medicine and other industrial purposes – thereby giving the programme broader appeal. It is anticipated that a good number of offered oral presentations combined with diverse invited speakers will enable a varied programme looking at fundamental research into fungal ecology and how ‘omics are being used to understand fungal behaviour and conservation, how fungi can be used in bioremediation, and how they may be mined for antimicrobial compounds.
Rebecca Hall (University of Birmingham, UK), Suzy Moody (Swansea University, UK)
This workshop will provide hands-on training on the use of the MRC-funded Cloud Infrastructure for Microbial Bioinformatics (CLIMB) infrastructure. CLIMB is a cloud-based computing system dedicated to the analysis of microbial bioinformatics data that provides free access to large-scale computing infrastructure for microbial bioinformatics to any UK-based, non-commercial microbial genomics researcher. Attendees are asked to bring their own laptops to the workshop.
This half-day workshop will provide an introduction to CLIMB for any new users, including how to set up and manage accounts and instances, as well as run through the various pipelines that are pre-installed with a CLIMB instance. The workshop will take new users through how to perform work on CLIMB via hands-on guided sessions.
In parallel, experienced CLIMB users will also have the opportunity to learn how to launch and configure more bespoke instances and to learn about new functionality being implemented to support very large data analysis and Docker containers. Finally, we will host a structured discussion for users to report their experiences with CLIMB and to help shape the future development of the platform.
Alan McNally (University of Birmingham, UK), Nicholas Loman (University of Birmingham, UK), Andrew Millard (University of Leicester, UK)
Recent years have seen extraordinary advances in the technologies available to study microbial biology. The development of new techniques to probe individual cells and molecules is a major driver of scientific advance. This session aims to cover and showcase a number of new advanced techniques that have been successfully applied to microbiology, including mass spectrometry imaging, light and electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. These have diverse applications which we anticipate will attract a broad audience across all the divisions.
Jason King (University of Sheffield, UK), Ryan Seipke (University of Leeds, UK), Katherine Duncan (University of Strathclyde, UK), Kim Hardie (University of Nottingham, UK)
The successful replication of all viruses, regardless of whether they have an RNA or DNA genome, relies on the translation of their proteins by the cellular translation machinery. In response to virus infection, the host aims to stop translation and shut down virus production, resulting in a dynamic battle between host and virus to gain control of the ribosome. Viruses have developed a range of strategies to win this battle, such as bypassing normal initiation processes, hijacking translation factors, shutting off host protein synthesis in favour of their own, and inhibiting the signalling pathways that control translation. This two-day symposium will incorporate an overview of virus manipulation of the translation process, from a range of international experts on plant, insect and mammalian systems, providing a broad and up-to-date account of the field.
Gill Elliott (University of Surrey, UK), Chris McCormick (University of Southampton, UK), Martina Scallan (University College Cork, Ireland), Andrew MacDonald (University of Leeds, UK)