AFFILIATES LETTER

APRIL 2019

Introducing Three New Co-Editors-in-Chief for

Pathogens and DiseaseWe are extraordinarily excited to announce that there will be three new Co-Editors-in-Chief of our journal Pathogens and Disease. We wish the very best to outgoing Editor-in-Chief, Patrik Bavoil, and thank him for his commitment to the Journal.

The first of our new Co-Editors-in-Chief is Associate Professor Wilhelmina (Willa) Huston, research group leader at the School of Life Sciences, University of Technology

Sydney (UTS), Australia. Her research is focussed on molecular microbiology of the intracellular pathogen Chlamydia, particularly how proteases function in the organism’s pathogenesis. She is especially interested in research into infectious diseases linked to infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease in women.

The second of the three new Co-Editors-in-Chief is Associate Professor Alfredo Garzino-Demo from the

Institute of Human Virology, and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA; and at the University of Padova. Alfredo’s research program is focused on the pathogenesis of HIV infection, and on novel therapeutic approaches to treatment and cure of the infection.

The final addition to the team of three is Associate Professor Jörn Coers, Director of the Center for Host Microbial Interactions at Duke University Medical Center, USA. Dr Coers’ research focuses on the function of Interferon-stimulated host

defence programs and the regulation of inflammation in response to bacterial infections.

This three-person-strong team will give Pathogens and Disease a unique range of research expertise and editorial oversight. Read interviews on our website with each of the new editors via the links below.

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: Apply to the FEMS Summer School for Microbiology Educators...

• Page 3: FEMS2019 late breaking abstract submissions deadline: 1st May; Call for Papers: Polar & Alpine Microbiology; We are seeking two new Directors...

• Pages 4-5: Curated articles published in each of the FEMS Journals...

• Page 6: Grants Corner

• Page 7: Opportunities

• Page 8: Deadlines; Events; and Extras...

Willa’s Interview > Alfredo’s Interview > Jörn’s Interview >

APRIL 2019

FEMS2019 Congress Updates

The late breaking abstract submission deadline is just around the corner! Send us your late breaking abstracts before the

deadline:

1 May 2019

Contact Corrado Nai for more details >

Wikipedians NeededThe WikiProject Microbiology aims to better organize information on Wikipedia. Even the most popular microbiology Wikipedia entries need curation, and most articles are stubs. In January, we started the Wikipedia Taskforce Volunteer Project aiming at advancing the understanding of Microbiology by increasing both quality and importance of Wikipedia articles according to Wikipedia’s community standards. So far, ca. 15 entries have been edited/created, citing ca. 50 scientific articles as source (both primary and secondary literature). To further our efforts we aim to expand the taskforce with more volunteers having diverse backgrounds in microbiology from graduate students and above. Skills in non-English languages may be of help to translate the pages and increase reach.

Community Grants Survey 2019

Every year FEMS gives out hundreds of grants to researchers across the world to travel, to organise their own events, and for reserach 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 >

Visit the website to find out more and apply >

Apply to the FEMS Summer School on

Microbiology EducationApplications are now being accepted for the first FEMS Summer School for Microbiology Education up to the deadline at 23:59 on 2nd June 2019.

The Summer School will take place 15-20 September 2019, at the Marmari Bay Hotel on the Greek island of Euboea, easily reachable from Athens.

The FEMS Summer School for microbiology teachers aims to expand the skills of those teaching academic microbiology, and to examine the newest achievements in microbiology science. We are also very pleased to announce that up to 5 attendees will receive complimentary registration and support of up to EUR 500 towards travel costs. All applicants will be eligible for this support.

Speakers at the school include specialists in microbiology education as well as members of European Academy of Microbiology (EAM):

Joanna Verran (UK), Beatrix Fahnert (UK), Michael Sauer (Austria), Grzegorz Wegrzyn (Poland), Armen Trchounian (Armenia), Eliora Ron (Israel, EAM Secretary General), Athanasios Tsakris (Greece, EAM member) and others.

We invite teachers of undergraduate and postgraduate level microbiology from across the world to attend the School.

Click this link for more details >

Call for papers: Polar & Alpine Microbiology

FEMS Microbiology Ecology invites submissions to a special issue on Polar and Alpine Microbiology which will focus on various aspects of the exciting research being carried out globally in polar and alpine ecosystems and continue the series of Thematic Issues from 2016 and 2018.

The thematic issue is prepared in connection with the Polar & Alpine Microbiology Conference which took place on 4–8 February 2019 at the University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.

Editors: Craig Cary, University of Waikato

Max Häggblom, Rutgers University

Submission Deadline: 30 April 2019

FEMS is seeking two new Directors

We are seeking two new members of our Board

FEMS is steered and overseen by a Board of Directors, each contributing their skills and experience to ensure the organization works efficiently and is ready to meet future challenges:

Secretary General:Responsible for overseeing FEMS governance including the running of general meetings and elections according to the Articles of Association and overseeing the application, reporting and termination of membership.

Director (Business & Policy):A new role to help connect microbiology research across academia and industry and to work to ensure scientific input into relevant policy making.

Application Deadline: 30 April 2019

Click this for details on how to apply >

FEMS Director Wins Highest North Macedonian Award

During the North Macedonian celebrations for World Health Day, FEMS Director of Events and Internationalization, Vaso Taleski, received the highest Award from the Macedonian Medical Association, Charter “Dr Trifun Panovski”, an award for exceptional results in advancing medical science, and the practice and development of health protection. On receiving this award Vaso commented:

‘’I see this award as an award for my activities, for the Institutions I have worked in in the past, my University where I work now, and of course for FEMS.’’

4 APRIL 2019

Pathogens and DiseaseResearch Article

Shotgun sequencing of clinical biofilm following scanning electron microscopy identifies bacterial community compositionBacterial biofilm infections often involve aggregates of bacteria heterogeneously distributed throughout a tissue or on a surface (such as an implanted medical device). This paper provides a proof-of-concept for a dual, microscopy and sequencing-based approach to identify and characterize bacterial biofilms, which could also easily be implemented in other scientific fields.

Authors: Fritz et al.

PUBLICATIONSFEMS Microbiology ReviewsReview

Klebsiella pneumoniae infection biology: living to counteract host defences

This review summarises the tremendous progress that has been made to uncover the sophisticated immune evasion strategies of K. pneumoniae. The co-evolution of Klebsiella in response to the challenge of an activated immune has made Klebsiella a formidable pathogen exploiting stealth strategies and actively suppressing innate immune defences to overcome host responses to survive in the tissues.

Authors: Bengoechea and Pessoa

FEMS Microbiology EcologyResearch Article

Phage defense mechanisms and their genomic and phenotypic implications in the fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum

Vibrio anguillarum is a marine bacterium that can cause vibriosis in many fish and shellfish species. Although phage therapy has been proposed as an alternative treatment, the defense mechanisms against phage infection in V. anguillarum and their impact on host function are not fully understood. Here the authors examined phage defense strategies in four V. anguillarum strains during exposure to the broad-host-range bacteriophage KVP40.

Authors: Castillo et al.

FEMS Yeast ResearchMiniReview

Yeast 2.0—connecting the dots in the construction of the world’s first functional synthetic eukaryotic genome

Historians of the future may well describe 2018 as the year that the world’s first functional synthetic eukaryotic genome became a reality. This article presents a shared vision of constructing a synthetic eukaryotic genome in a safe model organism by using novel concepts and advanced technologies.

Authors: Pretorius and Boeke

FEMS Microbiology LettersMiniReview

How to successfully navigate a telephone and/or video interview

During the initial screening process hiring committees will often conduct either a telephone or video interview to narrow the field and select the candidates they feel more closely fits the role. The intent of this article is provide tips and strategies on how to be more prepared/successful with these interviewing venues.

Authors: Bob Dolan

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femsre/fuy043 >

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiz004 >DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnz027 >

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femspd/ftz013 >

Fresh Faces at Pathogens and Disease

Read the inaugural editorial from the new Co- Editors-in-Chief:

Wilhelmina M Huston, Associate Professor and research group leader at the School of Life Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney.Jörn Coers, Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and the Director of the Center for Host–Microbial Interactions at Duke UniversityAlfredo Garzino-Demo, Associate Professor at the Institute of Human Virology, and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, at the University of Maryland School of Medicine; and at the University of Padova

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/femsyr/foy032 >

Read their first editorial >

Submit your reserach >

6 APRIL 2019

GRANTS CORNER OPPORTUNITIESFEMS Research and Training Grants - Grantee StatementsIrene Pèrez, PhD Student, Group of Mycobacterial Genetics,

Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Spain

Member Society: Spanish Society for Microbiology (SEM)

Host supervisor and host lab: Prof. Roland Brosch, Head of the Integrated Mycobacterial Pathogenomics Unit, Institute

Pasteur, Paris, France

Period in host lab:16 September to 19 December 2018

‘‘I am a PhD student in the Group of Mycobacterial Genetics at the University of Zaragoza. The PhD project consists on the research of new vaccines against tuberculosis and the molecular characterization.

Thanks to the Research and Training Grant, I did a 3 months internship at the Institute Pasteur of Paris, at the Integrated Mycobacterial Pathogenomics Group.

The grant allowed me to expand my knowledge in tuberculosis research and learn new techniques that will complement my professional training. We performed a new molecular characterization of the new vaccine candidates and we studied the interaction of the bacteria with the host. The grant gave me the opportunity to collaborate with one of the leading groups in tuberculosis research that has a deep experience in genetics and evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.

I highly encourage young researchers to apply for this grant and benefit from the exchange with other international groups that will enrich their personal and professional career.”

Discover the FEMS Grants >

Find out more about this event >

Event of the monthMicrobial Pathogenisis Symposium,

by the European Academy of Microbiology (EAM), a tribute to

Stanley Falkow

28-29 May, Institut Pasteur,Paris, France

Stanley Falkow (1934-2018) has been called “father” of the field of microbial pathogenesis. This event, hosted in the Institut Pasteur, is a tribute to his life and career, and his enthusiasm for teaching and mentoring students. Speakers included members of the European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) and a range of international scientists who trained under the supervision of Stanley.

No registration requested, however to allow entry of “non-Pasteurians” wishing to attend, please send name to: colette.jacquemin@pasteur.fr

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 monthPostdoc in Molecular Genetics of Human

Intestinal Bacteriodetes: Sweden

Final application date: 01.07.2019Institution: Umeå UniversityLocation: Umeå, Sweden

Contact: David A. Cisneros

Human gut Bacteroidetes are prominent members of the gut microbiome. A pipeline to observe multiple genes by functionality tests, biochemistry and structural biology will be implemented to study putative intestinal colonisation factors in vitro. The successful candidate will develop a project with state of the art techniques of molecular biology, mutagenesis and microscopy. The position is for 2 years and it is available from July 1st 2019.

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 >

8

How we use Instagram to communicate microbiology to the public >

Killer frog disease ‘part of Earth’s sixth mass extinction’ >

EXTRAS

Social media is a powerful tool for science communication. Instagram’s image-focused model is no exception, say Hunter Hines and Sally Warring.

‘‘We’ve found that predicting what will go ‘viral’ is nearly impossible (the tardigrade or ‘water bear’, however, is an invariably popular subject)’’

Source: Nature

A fungus that kills amphibians is responsible for the biggest documented loss of nature from a single disease, say researchers.

The disease, chytridiomycosis, has caused mass die-offs in frogs, toads and salamanders over the past 50 years, including extinctions of 90 species, according to a review of evidence. It has spread to over 60 countries.

Source: BBC

DEADLINES EVENTS

The FUNBREW project aims to make use of the 39 million tons of spent grain by-product produced per year by the

brewing industry

1 June 2019 FEMS Meeting Organizer Grants >

05.05.2019, USA | ASM Clinical Virology Symposium >

07.05.2019, USA | Cold Spring Harbor - The Biology of Genomes >

Post your Events with us >

07.05.2019, USA | Wound Healing Society 31st Annual Meeting >

14.05.2019, USA | 4th Mechanisms of Metabolic Signaling >

1 July 2019Research and Training Grants >

20.05.2019, USA | Cold Spring Harbor - Retroviruses >

22.05.2019, Slovenia | 14th Yeast Lipid Conference (YLC 2019) >

15.05.2019, Croatia | Power of Microbes in Industry and Environment 2019 >

18.05.2019, Belgium | Human Fungal Pathogens 2019 - Mechanisms of Host-Pathogen Interactions and Virulance >

What is the FUNBREW project? >

The FUNBREW project aims to establish new technologies for transforming this spent grain from the brewing industry into a healthy edible product for use in sustainable food production. Find out much more in this article.

Source: FEMS