Meeting report 'Microbiology 2023: from single cell to microbiome and host', an international interacademy conference in Würzburg

Abstract

On September 20-22 September 2023, the international conference 'Microbiology 2023: from single cell to microbiome and host' convened microbiologists from across the globe for a very successful symposium, showcasing cutting-edge research in the field. Invited lecturers delivered exceptional presentations covering a wide range of topics, with a major emphasis on phages and microbiomes, on the relevant bacteria within these ecosystems, and their multifaceted roles in diverse environments. Discussions also spanned the intricate analysis of fundamental bacterial processes, such as cell division, stress resistance, and interactions with phages. Organized by four renowned Academies, the German Leopoldina, the French Académie des sciences, the Royal Society UK, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the symposium provided a dynamic platform for experts to share insights and discoveries, leaving participants inspired and eager to integrate new knowledge into their respective projects. The success of Microbiology 2023 prompted the decision to host the next quadrennial academic meeting in Sweden. This choice underscores the commitment to fostering international collaboration and advancing the frontiers of microbiological knowledge. The transition to Sweden promises to be an exciting step in the ongoing global dialogue and specific collaborations on microbiology, a field where researchers will continue to push the boundaries of knowledge, understanding, and innovation not only in health and disease but also in ecology.

Keywords: bacterial immunity; host–microbe interaction; infection biology; microbiology; microbiome; pathogen–phage interaction.

Figure 1.

The organizers David Holden, Jörg Vogel, Pascale Cossart, Jörg Hacker, and Staffan Normark (from left to right) work-lunching in Berlin in April 2019 and having a first go at planning what back then was meant to be Microbiology 2020 and because of the COVID-19 pandemic turned out to be Microbiology 2023.

Figure 2.

Jörg Hacker, past president of the German National Academy of Sciences (2010–2020) and founding director of the Institute for Molecular Infection Biology of the University of Würzburg (1993–2008).

Figure 3.

Inside the building of the Institute for Molecular Infection Biology.

Figure 4.

From left to right the speakers of the ‘Infection biology and microbiome’ session Andrew Goodmann and Sophie Helaine as well as session chairs Thomas Rudel and Jörg Vogel. The two other speakers, not pictured here, were Susan Bullman and Andreas Bäumler.

Figure 5.

From left to right the speakers of the ‘Phage biology and defence’ session Nassos Typas, Melanie Blokesch, Joseph Bondy-Denomy, Karen Maxwell, and Rotem Sorek, as well session chair Pascale Cossart. The other chair, Chase Beisel, is not in the picture.

Figure 6.

From left to right the speakers of the ‘Molecular biology and bacterial cell biology’ session Christine Jacobs-Wagner, Tracy Palmer, Mariana G. Pinho, Davide Sassera, and Jean-François Collet (second to the right). Session chairs were Franz Narberhaus (third to the right) and Cynthia Sharma (to the right).

Figure 7.

From left to right the speakers or session chairs of the ‘Molecular infection biology’ session Feng Shao, David Holden (chair), Petra Dersch, Birgitta Henriques Normark (chair), Jan-Willem Veening, Christina Stallings, and Elizabeth Hartland. Further speaker Anat Herskovits is not in the picture.

Figure 8.

From left to right are the panelists of the ‘Meet-the-editor’ session Anke Sparmann (session chair, HIRI Würzburg), Carmen Buchrieser (microLife), Nonia Pariente (PLoS Biology), and Jessica Thompson (Nature Microbiology).

Figure 9.

From left to right are the panelists of ‘The importance of microbiology and infectious disease research in the year 2023’ session, starting with chairs Jörg Vogel and Carmen Buchrieser, and participants Eliora Ron (Israel), Seyed E. Hasnain (India), and Feng Shao (China).

Figure 10.

Poster session on Wednesday night.

Figure 11.

Impressions from the conference dinner at the Staatlicher Hofkeller, located under the Würzburger Residence (a world heritage place), on Thursday night.

Figure 11.

Impressions from the conference dinner at the Staatlicher Hofkeller, located under the Würzburger Residence (a world heritage place), on Thursday night.

Figure 12.

The organizers relaxing on the last day after concluding that the conference had gone well. Lead organizer Birgitta Henriques-Normark for the next Interacademy conference to be held in Sweden pictured on the right.

Figure 12.

The organizers relaxing on the last day after concluding that the conference had gone well. Lead organizer Birgitta Henriques-Normark for the next Interacademy conference to be held in Sweden pictured on the right.