From the President

This issue of Microbiology Today discusses biogeography and microbiology. Simplistic statements such as ‘micro-organisms do not respect international borders’ are fine for ensuring that people know that diseases can travel with people, insects or wind (e.g. MERS-Coronavirus, Schmallenberg virus or foot-and-mouth disease virus, respectively). Nevertheless, there are differences in geographic, as opposed to political, boundaries as articles in this issue make clear.

Political boundaries can affect microbiologists. This year marks the 80th anniversary of CARA, the Council for Assisting Refugee Academics. The SGM supports CARA, which is still very active in helping academics from trouble spots around the world. Alan McCarthy and Paul Broda, members of the CARA Council, have written about the work of CARA in this issue.

Another 80th anniversary is that of the birth of Professor Sir David Hopwood, a former President of SGM and a hugely influential figure in UK genetics and microbiology. I am sure that all SGM members will join with me in wishing David a very happy 80th birthday.

Our Autumn Conference takes place at the University of Sussex this September. In addition to an exciting programme of scientific talks, Professor Neil Gow will give the Fred Griffith Prize Lecture on medical mycology and Professor Sarah Gurr will give the Hot Topic Lecture on fungal plant disease. We will also award the prizes in the Sir Howard Dalton Young Microbiologist of the Year Competition.

Don’t forget to attend the Annual General Meeting on Monday 2 September. This, usually short, meeting is the time we approve the selection of our new Officers and Committee Members and deal with issues raised by members. As I have indicated before, I am keen that we engage the whole membership in the Society’s activities. I am pleased to say that we have had a reasonable number of people wishing to serve on Council and on the Committees of Council. However, it could be better, and Council has recently discussed how we can get more early-career researchers involved in the work of the SGM. We will raise this and other issues at the AGM. We have a number of changes to members of Council and Committees.

NIGEL L. BROWN
President
Email: [email protected].