AFFILIATES LETTER

JUNE 2019

FEMS2019 Is Nearly Here!It’s less than two weeks until the start of FEMS2019 in Glasgow (7th - 11th July), organised with our Member Society host, the Society for Applied Microbiology (SfAM). FEMS2019 will bring together leading scientists spanning different fields of reserach to celebrate the best of microbiology. This congress will showcase the most recent developments in microbiology to address some of the global challenges we face today, such as antimicrobial resistance, environmental pollution and the emergence of pathogenic disease.

The FEMS Congresses are the only scientific meetings at European and international level providing a unique forum for interdisciplinary dialogue and discussion between all microbiological specialties ranging from basic research to applied and across all sectors – academic, policy, business, educational, and communications.

The Congress aims to inspire scientists to come together and collaborate on fresh new ideas freely without limits. We can’t wait to see as many members of the microbiology community as possible at FEMS2019 in Glasgow, one of Europe’s most vibrant and dynamic cities, that’s also been voted the world’s friendliest city.

The keynote speakers for this year bring the greatest range of mircobiological expertise to the event, and we cannot wait to hear them present their reserach:

• Pascale Cossart, Paris, France (Listeria monocytogenes)• Bernard Hube, Jena, Germany (fungi and virulence)• Toby Kiers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (soil microbiology, ecology) • Sang Yup Lee, Daejeon, South Korea (the cell factory)• Rotem Sorek, Rehovot, Israel (virology, phages) • Andy Waters, Glasgow, United Kingdom (parasitology, tropical medicine)• Lindsay Hall, Norwich, United Kingdom (microbiome)

We hope you will join us for a magnificent congress, and we look forward to welcoming you in Glasgow!

ALSO IN THIS ISSUEPUBLICATIONS / GRANTS CORNER / OPPORTUNITIES / DEADLINES

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER

Delftechpark 37A, 2628 XJ Delft, The NetherlandsT: +31 15 302 0050 | E: fems@fems-microbiology.org

Table of Contents

Page 2: • Community Corner Events

at FEMS2019• An EAM Symposium in

Paris

Page 3: • Joint Virtual Special Issue

for FEMS2019• FEMS-ASM Mäkelä-

Cassell Travel Award 2019

Pages 4-5: • Curated research

published in each of the FEMS Journals

• Microbiology in Action II

Page 6: Grants Corner

Page 7: Opportunities

Page 8: Deadlines, Events, and Extras...

Find out more on the FEMS2019 website >

JUNE 2019

Congress InformationYou can still register for FEMS2019, organised with

the Society for Applied Microbiology:

Registration for FEMS2019 >

Check out the scientific programme, including a range of top microbiologists as keynote speakers:

Scientific Programme >

See all the international speakers attending here:

Read a full write up of the event here >

A Symposium in ParisThe European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) supported a meeting at the Institut Pasteur (Paris) in tribiute to the father of microbial pathogenesis, Stanley Falkow.

His ex-colleagues and previous students paid hommage to his unique character, support for the careers of women within science and his lab, and his original approach to studying the molecular biology of disease pathology.

Attendees were treated to a range of cutting edge research across two days from a selection of Stanley’s students.

Community Grants Survey 2019

Every year FEMS gives out hundreds of grants to researchers across the world: to travel, to organize their own events, and for research and training.

But we need the opinions of the microbiology communtity in order to develop our grants programme to best meet your needs! So please take 5 minutes to fill in our Community Grants

Survey for 2019.

Click this link to access the survey >

Get the Congress App for more (Apple) >

Community Corner Conversations at FEMS2019

Communities are at the heart of developments in microbiology: from specialist groups in emerging topics, to advocacy groups promoting public policy.

We have invited experts from all fields to come to host meet & greets, book signings, and conversations about topics that matter to these communities.

In 3 sessions, we will discuss why it is important to embrace diversity to build inclusive communities.

You can expect discussion of topics such as:

What are barriers that prohibit women and LGBT scientists from entering science and its higher echelons? What are specific challenges faced researchers based in African nations? How can we create a microbiology community as diverse as the microbial world we study?

Attendees are also welcome at the book signings of: Pascale Cossart (The New Microbiology, available in French and English) and Laura Bowater (both The Microbes Fight Back and Science Communication will be available) as well as at a meetup with the FEMS Journals Editors.

This and more events will be organized at the FEMS Booth during FEMS2019.

We hope to meet you there!

Access the Special Issue online >

Joint Virtual Special Issue: Building

Microbial Communities For FEMS2019, we have teamed up with journals linked to our Member Societies for a joint Virtual Special Issue called Building Microbial Communities, featuring 22 articles from 14 different journals.

Reflecting the diversity of topics at FEMS2019, this joint VSI presents a broad range of research areas where communities of microorganisms take centre stage: complex microbiomes and biofilms; exploitation of microbial consortia for drug discovery; investigation of microbial interactions by network analyses; and much more...

Watch our interviews with Dr de Anda online >

FEMS-ASM Mäkelä-Cassell Travel Award

Winner 2019FEMS and  ASM  support the reciprocal exchange of one member from each organization to present his/her research at the other organisation’s main conference via a joint Award.

This year, FEMS selected Dr Valerie de Anda, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Texas at Austin (USA) to receive the Award and attend FEMS2019. The Jury of the FEMS-ASM Mäkelä-Cassell Travel Award 2019 for Early Career Scientists selected her abstract from various very good nominations as it is “well-done and impactful”.

Dr Valerie de Anda’s abstract on Brockarchaeota has also been selected for an oral presentation in the Workshop: Extreme environments.  

Dr Valerie de Anda’s presentation will be held during 14:30 - 17:00 on Tuesday 8th

July 2019, in the Clyde Auditorium

Meet the Speakers >Get the Congress App for more (Android) >

4 JUNE 2019

Pathogens and DiseaseResearch Article

A bivalent fusion vaccine composed of recombinant Apx proteins shows strong protection against Actinobacillus pleuroneumoniae serovar 1 and 2 in a mouse modelActinobacillus pleuropneumonia (APP) causes porcine pleuropneumoniae, resulting in severe economic losses in the swine industry. Since there are diverse serotypes of APP, it is necessary for vaccines to induce cross-protection. In this report, the authors developed a bivalent fusion vaccine, the L vaccine composed of ApxIA and ApxIIA fragments.

Authors: Byung-Sun Park and Nakhyung Lee

PUBLICATIONSFEMS Microbiology ReviewsReviewThe molecular biology of fruity and floral aromas in beer and other alcoholic beverages Aroma compounds provide attractiveness and variety to alcoholic beverages. The authors discuss the molecular biology of a major subset of beer aroma volatiles, fruity and floral compounds, originating from raw materials (malt and hops), or formed by yeast during fermentation. They introduce aroma perception, describe the most aroma-active, fruity and floral compounds in fruits and their presence and origin in beer.

Authors: Holt, Miks, Trindade de Carvalho, Foulquié-Moreno and Thevelein

FEMS Microbiology EcologyResearch Article

Sponges from Zanzibar host diverse prokaryotic communities with potential for natural product synthesisThe authors used Illumina sequencing and a predictive metagenomic analysis to (i) assess the prokaryotic community composition of sponges from Zanzibar, (ii) predict the presence of KEGG metabolic pathways responsible for bioactive compound production and (iii) relate their presence to the degree of observed chemical defence in their respective sponge host. They found that sponges from Zanzibar host diverse prokaryotic communities that are host species-specific.

Authors: Helber, Steinert, Wu, Rohde, Hentschel, Muhando and Schupp

FEMS Yeast ResearchResearch Article

Pathogenic budding yeasts isolated outside of clinical settingsHere the authors describe the isolation of more than 50 strains of budding yeast opportunistic pathogens from natural settings, suggesting that they have more complex ecology than is currently appreciated. They founds that as a group, pathogenic yeasts were positively associated with fruits and soil environments, whereas the species Pichia kudriavzevii had a significant association with plants.

Authors: Opulente et al.

FEMS Microbiology LettersMiniReview

Multiplex genome editing of microorganisms using CRISPR-Cas

Microbial production of chemical compounds often requires highly engineered microbial cell factories. During the last years, CRISPR-Cas nucleases have been repurposed as powerful tools for genome editing. Here, the authors briefly review the most frequently used CRISPR-Cas tools and describe some of their applications.

Authors: Adiego-Pérez, Randazzo, Daran, Verwaal, Roubos, Daran-Lapujade, van der Oost

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femsre/fuy041 >

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiz026 >DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnz086 >

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femspd/ftz020 >

Microbiology in Action IIWe are pleased to announce a collaboration with eight of our Member Societies. Between us, FEMS and these Societies are responsible for the publication of twenty peer-reviewed academic journals, giving microbiologists in a wide range of research fields the opportunity to share their latest findings and views.

This second instalment of the “Microbiology in Action” virtual issue features recent articles on the role that microorganisms play in the environment, industry and our daily lives. Enjoy the collection and scroll down to find out more about the participating Societies.

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femsyr/foz032 >

United Kingdom

Czech Republic

Estonia

France

Albania

Russia

Bosnia

Read Microbiology in Action II >

6 JUNE 2019

GRANTS CORNER OPPORTUNITIESMeeting Attendance Grantee

StatementSofia Félix, Molecular Microbiology of Human Pathogens

Laboratory of Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica of Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), Lisbon, Portugal

Find out about FEMS Grants >

Find out more about this event >

Event of the month

FEMS2019 Public EventInfluenza: Fact and Fiction

19:00 - 21:00 on 9th July 2019

The Lighthouse, Orange Box Gallery,

11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

WARNING, CONTAGIOUS: after diving deep into Lesley Kelly’s book ‘Influenza: In Fact and Fiction’ you may never want to stop reading.

Dark and witty’ is how Mason Cross describes Lesley Kelly’s latest book. In this discussion, readers and experts will not only talk about these characteristics, but also about the science behind it.

Influenza: In fact and Fiction is the 10th Anniversary Special Edition of the Bad Bugs Book Club, hosted by Professor Jo Verran, featuring Scottish crime author Lesley Kelly and an expert panel of microbiologists. Organised as part of the 8th Congress of European Microbiologists (FEMS2019).

This is a drop-in event, no need to book.

Post on our Opportunities Board!

Do you want to promote your event, job, funding or interesting projects on our website to the wider microbiology

community?

You can do this on our Opportunities Board!Here you can find FEMS-sponsored events and funding, as well as many other exciting jobs, events, courses, resources and funding

opportunities from the microbiology community.

Opportunities Board >

Job of the monthPostdoctoral Scientist: UK

Final application date: 07.07.2019Institution: MRC Laboratory of Molecular

BiologyLocation: Cambridge, UK

Contact: Dr Ramanujan Hegde

A candidate is sought to work within the Group of Dr Ramanujan Hegde at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), Cambridge (UK), within a programme aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms of protein maturation, quality control, and protein aggregation diseases. Specifically to undertake research to investigate the mechanistic basis of membrane protein insertion and assembly. Relevant PhD qualifications include biochemistry and structural biology.

Read an essential collection of papers showcasing high-quality content from across

the five FEMS Journals, which together provide an overview of current research trends in

microbiology:

Antimicrobial ResistanceEnvironmental Microbiology

Pathogenicity & VirulenceBiotechnology & Synthetic Biology

MicrobiomesFood Microbiology

Six Key Topics in Microbiology 2019

Read this special collection >

Attended: 14th European Meeting on the Molecular Biology of the Pneumococcus (Europneumo), Greifswald,

Germany

Dates: 11 - 14 June 2019

Member Society: Portuguese Society of Microbiology

At this stage of my PhD, my attendance to Europneumo was very important since it was the first time I submitted an abstract with results of my PhD, which was selected for a poster presentation.

This is a four-day-long European meeting about the molecular biology of the human pathogen that I am studying. This year, the meeting comprised several topics that appeal to me and that are closely related with my work, naming host-microbe interactions, virulence and genomics.

During my poster session, I had opportunity to discuss my results with experts in the field and other PhD students. I am thrilled to say that my poster attracted many interested people with many questions about the results. So many that the discussion took the entire time allocated for the poster session (around two hours!). I consider this of utmost importance since it was a way to prepare myself for my thesis defense that will be scheduled to December 2019.

Another positive point was that I and Dr. Raquel Sá-Leão, also established a collaboration with a researcher that will perform in vivo experiments with our S. pneumoniae isolates. Considering that my PhD grant no longer provides support to attend meetings, only with your assistance I would have been able to participate in this meeting. Therefore, I sincerely thank the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) for supporting my attendance in the 14th Europneumo in Germany.

8

‘No way to stop it’: millions of pigs culled across Asia as swine fever spreads >

EXTRAS

Many people in Pakistan are suspicious of the polio vaccine, despite the fact it saves lives.

The battle to persuade Pakistan’s people of the benefits of polio vaccination - in one of only three countries where the disease is still rife.

Source: BBC

South-east Asia is battling to contain the spread of highly contagious African swine fever, known as “pig Ebola”, which has already led to the culling of millions of pigs in China and Vietnam. African swine fever, which is harmless to humans but fatal to pigs, was discovered in China in August, where it has caused havoc, leading to more than 1.2m pigs being culled.

Source: The Guardian

DEADLINES EVENTS

Bacteria live on our eyeballs, and understanding their role could help treat common eye diseases.

1 September 2019 FEMS Meeting Attendance Grants >

02.07.2019, Spain | 27th Meeting of the Spanish Society for Microbiology (SEM) >

07.07.2019, China | 10th International Conference on Industrial Microbiology >

Post your Events with us >

07.07.2019, UK | FEMS2019 - The 8th Congress of European Microbiologists >

13.07.2019, USA | Microbial Language: Microbes, Molecules and Metabolites (GRS) >

1 July 2019Research and Training Grants >

18.07.2019, USA| Microbiome: Cold Spring Habor Laboratory >

20.07.2019, Switzerland |Emerging Approaches to Study Archaea and Their Viruses (GRS) >

14.07.2019, USA| Biomass to Biobased Chemicals and Materials (GRC) >

14.06.2019, USA | Applied and Environmental Microbiology (GRC) >

You may be familiar with the idea that your gut and skin are home to a collection of microbes—fungi, bacteria and viruses—that are vital for keeping you healthy. But did you know that your eyes also host a unique menagerie of microbes? Together, they’re called the eye microbiome. When these microbes are out of balance—too many or too few of certain types—eye diseases may emerge.

Source: Scientifc American

Polio: The Final Battle >

21.07.2019, USA | Annual Meeting of the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology >

Meet the Eye Microbiome >