Annual Conference 2019

#Microbio19

8–11 April 2019 – Belfast Waterfront 

The Annual Conference is the Microbiology Society’s flagship event. The next meeting takes place in Belfast over four days on 8–11 April 2019 and consists of symposia, workshops, forums, poster sessions and a trade exhibition. You can find out all the information you need to know by visiting our website.

Destination Belfast

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and home to the conference venue – the Belfast Waterfront. This landmark venue stages the best in arts and entertainment as well as hosting major conferences and business events.

Belfast itself is a city rich in culture and history, so whether you’re looking to visit its historic landmarks and attractions or experience new culinary delights, there’s a lot waiting to be discovered. Visit the Visit Belfast website to discover more.

Registration

Registration is open for Annual Conference, which attracts over 1,400 attendees for the UK’s largest annual gathering of microbiologists.

To ensure the meeting remains of value for this broad microbiology community, ticket prices have not increased from last year beyond the rate of inflation and a new 10% discount is available for anyone registering for all four days of the meeting. As with all of our Society events, Microbiology Society members will receive a substantial discount.

Abstracts 

Abstract submissions are also live on the website.

As always, Annual Conference is designed to cover the breadth of microbiology research developments and its abstracts reflect this comprehensive scientific programme.

Submissions close on 10 December 2018, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to showcase your microbiological work and research. More information and tips on writing abstracts can be found online.

Notifications of acceptances will be made from 15 January 2019.

For those abstracts that are awarded a poster, the Annual Conference provides an excellent platform for emerging scientific research. Following feedback from last year’s event, all posters will be displayed within the same space within the convention centre. Posters will also be rotated to ensure relevance to the content of the day’s live programmed sessions.

Early career microbiologists

Annual Conference has a number of opportunities for early career microbiologist members to get involved. If you’re eligible, don’t forget to indicate your interest in participating in the Sir Howard Dalton Young Microbiologist of the Year Competition, or the Early Career Microbiologists’ Forum Co-chairing scheme when submitting your abstract. More information can be found under the Grants and Professorial Development tab.

Access Microbiology

In 2019 the Society is launching a new journal, Access Microbiology, which will publish posters presented at Annual Conference alongside other high-value, but often hidden research.

If your work is accepted as a poster, the Society will contact you about publishing your work in the journal. All published articles are freely available to read, and as article processing charges are currently waived, it’s free for authors to publish.

Social Programme

Annual Conference is designed to offer ample opportunities for formal and informal networking for both early career and established microbiologists. This year we have arranged two low-cost, separately bookable events which you can book when registering for the Conference.

Crumlin Road Gaol Social

Monday 8 April 2019 – Tickets £25

HMP Belfast, also known as Crumlin Road Gaol, is a former prison situated on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast. It is the only Victorian-era prison remaining in Northern Ireland and is affectionately known as the Crum.

On the first night of Annual Conference, the jail will be opened exclusively for ticket holders. Over the years the jail has housed murderers, suffragettes and loyalist and republican prisoners. It has witnessed births, deaths and marriages and has been the home to executions, escapes, hunger-strikes and riots. Guests will receive a glass of prosecco and canapés on arrival before going on a 70-minute guided tour to experience what life was like for these prisoners.

 

Society quiz and games night

Wednesday 10 April 2019 – Tickets £15

The annual quiz night will be taking place at Lavery’s bar with its roof terrace and a private floor for Society members.

The ever-popular annual quiz will start at 20:30 with prizes up for grabs. Following the quiz, you can make use of Northern Ireland’s largest pool room with 22 high-quality and well-maintained pool tables.

Grants

Society Conference Grants are available to support eligible members wishing to present at the Annual Conference. The grants deadline is 31 January 2019. Grant notifications will go out before 21 February 2019. Full information is available on the Society Conference Grant page: microbiologysociety.org/societyconferencegrants. If you are a member who is not eligible for a Society Conference Grant, please apply via the Travel Grant scheme.

Accommodation and travel

If you’re planning on joining us at this important event, we highly recommend you secure your accommodation and make your travel plans as early as possible. Belfast is a popular destination whose hotels fill up quickly.

To support you in securing your accommodation, go to the Annual Conference website where we provide links to our booking and accommodation services via Reservation Highway.

Call for Annual Conference Sessions Proposals for 2020

The deadline to send your session ideas for our 2020 Annual Conference is 14 December 2018.

We welcome session suggestions from members in any field of microbiology. If you have an idea for a session and would like it to be considered by our divisions at our next Conference planning day, we want to hear from you. The divisions meet in January of every year, and if your suggestion is accepted, the Scientific Conferences Committee (SCC) will appoint experienced session organisers to finalise the session programme. Visit our website to download the suggestion form.

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Images: Crumlin Road Gaol. Crumlin Road Gaol.

Lavery’s Bar. Lavery’s Bar.