Conferences

Annual Conference 2014

ACC LIVERPOOL 14–17 APRIL

The Society are looking forward to welcoming members and non-members alike to the 2014 Annual Conference, which will take place from Monday 14 to Thursday 17 at the Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool. The conference will feature four packed days of microbiological science aimed at scientists at all levels. Being part of this event couldn’t be easier. Register online before 14 March 2014 to qualify for reduced registration rates.

SESSIONS

• 10 Questions in virology
• Pseudomonas signalling, secretion and social interactions
• Cell cycle
• Metabolic engineering for biotech
• Sexually transmitted and reproductive diseases in humans and animals
• Mind-altering microbes
• Viruses in the respiratory tract
• Evolution of microbial populations within the host
• RNA and riboswitches in bacterial regulation

WORKSHOPS AND FORUMS

• Prokaryotic microbial infection forum
• Environmental microbiology forum
• Prokaryotic cell biology forum
• Prokaryotic genetics forum
• Virology workshops: DNA viruses, Positive-strand RNA, Negative-strand RNA, Clinical virology, Retroviruses, Respiratory viruses

Getting focused

2014 will see the first in the new programme of Focused Meetings namely: Emerging challenges and opportunities in soil microbiology and Modelling microbial infection. As the name suggests the meetings will entirely focus on a specific area of microbiological science, bringing together microbiologists in the field to exchange ideas, network and explore the latest developments.

EMERGING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN SOIL MICROBIOLOGY
MONDAY 1–TUESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2014
HOLYWELL PARK CONFERENCE CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF LOUGHBOROUGH

A fundamental knowledge of the functioning of healthy natural and agricultural soils and their resilience is a prerequisite to meeting the many natural and man-made challenges of the 21st century. These include climate change, food and (fresh) water security, nutrient cycling and availability, carbon capture, pollution and biodiversity. Microbial communities in soils can affect these processes and also have to be able to adapt to changes in the soil interface with, for example, water distribution, soil/nutrient particles, plants and other soil biota, and gas exchange with the atmosphere.

The last decade has seen tremendous advances in next-generation nucleic acid sequencing, mass spectrometry and high-resolution imaging technologies, such as atomic force and confocal microscopy, X-ray computed tomography and neutron radiography, which offer exciting opportunities for soil microbiologists to study the crucial ecological roles of soils. Soil microbial community composition, dynamics and functioning can now be probed to depths not possible before.

This Focused Meeting will bring together soil microbiologists, ecologists, soil scientists, geographers and technologists providing expertise in environmental ‘omics’, imaging and bioinformatics to present and discuss emerging challenges and opportunities in soil microbial ecology and to promote multidisciplinary collaborations. Early- career scientists are especially encouraged to participate.

Topics will include:

• The impact of climate change, water scarcity, flooding and agriculture on soil microbial community functioning and vice versa
• Structural and functional soil microbial diversity
• Biophysical processes affecting the life of soil microbes
• Bioengineering soil sustainability
• Spatial ecology, biogeography and (changes in) land use
• (Re)cycling of nutrients, waste and pollution

Organisers: Geertje van Keulen (Swansea University), Alex Dumbrell (University of Essex) and Wilfred Otten (University of Abertay, Dundee)

MODELLING MICROBIAL INFECTION
MONDAY 17–TUESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2014
CHARLES DARWIN HOUSE, LONDON

Infection models are essential for dissecting microbial–host interactions, unravelling disease processes and in the development of novel therapeutic agents. This Focused Meeting will discuss the range of models available to study microbial pathogenesis and will explore how technological advances, such as in vivo imaging, can increase the information obtained from these models. Bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infection models will be discussed and the use of alternative infection models debated. The use of models for drug discovery/development will also be discussed. This meeting is relevant to any researcher working in the area of microbial pathogenesis and offers the opportunity to learn about the range of models and resources available. The meeting will appeal to scientific researchers at all levels, and in particular PhD students, clinicians and those with an interest in translational and commercial research.

Organisers: Donna MacCallum and Carol Munro (University of Aberdeen)

DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A FOCUSED MEETING OR NEED FUNDING FOR YOUR OWN MICROBIOLOGY MEETING?

Focused Meetings are stand-alone events that take place outside of the Society’s Annual Conference and concentrate on one specific area of microbiology.

Organisers retain control of the scientific content with the support of the Society’s Scientific Conferences Committee. The proposal forms and full details of how to apply are now available online.

GRANTS

Grants are available to eligible members, please visit the website for details.

SOCIETY-SUPPORTED CONFERENCE GRANTS

Members can now also apply for a Society-supported Conference Grant to fund reasonable speaker expenses associated with a microbiological conference they are organising. Support is in the form of a grant up to £2,000 but does not include secretariat support. Application forms are available online.

LET’S TALK

If you are thinking of submitting proposals/applications for any of the above you are actively encouraged to discuss your proposal prior to submission with the relevant Division. Or alternatively, contact the conferences team at [email protected].

DEADLINES

• Society-supported Grants 2014 Monday 12 May 2014
• Focused Meeting Proposals 2015 (up to three will be decided) Monday 12 May 2014

The above will be reviewed by the SGM Divisions and the Scientific Conferences Committee. 

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Irish Division Spring Meeting 2014
Host–pathogen interactions; from animals to humans and back again
Thursday 20–Friday 21 March 2014
University College Dublin

SGM Annual Conference 2014
Monday 14–Thursday 17 April 2014
ACC Liverpool

Irish Division Autumn Meeting 2014
Microbe–host dialogue
Thursday 21–Friday 22 August 2014
Limerick

Emerging challenges and opportunities in soil microbiology
Monday 1–Tuesday 2 September 2014
Holywell Park Conference Centre
University of Loughborough

Modelling microbial infection
Monday 17–Tuesday 18 November, 2014
Charles Darwin House, London

SGM Annual Conference 2015
Monday 30 March–Thursday 2 April 2015
Birmingham