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The next generation in infection biology – Course and Conference Office

EMBL Conference

The next generation in infection biology

Overview

After the success of the virtual 2022 edition, this conference will return in a virtual format.

Conference overview

Infectious diseases are among the most prevalent causes of human illness and death in the world. Pathogens infect humans and all life forms on Earth, being able to cross species barriers, thereby adversely impacting human and planetary health. Fundamental research in infection biology is urgently needed to find therapies for longstanding and emerging infectious diseases.  

The EMBL Conference ‘The next generation in infection biology’ is a platform for late-stage postdoctoral scientists in the field of infection biology to present their work and connect with the leading European institutions in infection biology. The speakers will be chosen for their track record of research accomplishments and their high-reaching future plans. The audience will have the unique opportunity to experience cutting-edge science presented by the rising leaders in this field. The institutional partners will provide discussion and networking opportunities to connect and shape the future league of infection biologists in Europe.

Session topics

  • Pathogen biology
  • Host-pathogen interfaces
  • Host genetics and immunology
  • Anti-infectives (vaccines and antimicrobials)
  • Computational methods and analyses for infection

What past participants say about the conference

This format was really made for postdocs seeking a professorship and it is just amazing! I got to speak “face-to-face” with PIs whom I would never have had the courage to approach in a normal conference. I got insightful comments for my career and I really hope this format repeats again.” – Cláudia Vilhena, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products and Infection Biology, Germany

The conference ‘The next generation in infection biology’ was a fantastic experience. It brought together young investigators at a transition point in their careers to become independent group leaders, and established researchers who have shaped the field of infection biology. It was a unique opportunity to share science and network, and an excellent concept altogether.” – Mariana De Niz, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Portugal

Organisers and speakers

Plenary Speakers

Melanie Blokesch

Global Health Institute, EPFL

Switzerland

Freddy Frischknecht

Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research

Heidelberg University

Germany

Scientific Organisers

Conference Organisers

Sophie Dutzi

EMBL Heidelberg

Germany

Lizette de Paula

EMBL Heidelberg

Germany

Participating organisations

Please find below a list of participating institutes and universities, with more to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Institutes / UniversitiesCountrySpokesperson
Aix-Marseille University (CNRS), Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée (IMM)FranceTâm Mignot
Biozentrum, University of BaselSwitzerlandChristoph Dehio,
Dirk Bumann,
Urs Jenal,

Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research (CIID), Heidelberg UniversityGermanyFreddy Frischknecht
Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB)GermanyKay Grünewald, Charlotte Uetrecht,
Holger Sondermann
CSIC, CNB – National Centre for BiotechnologySpainDaniel Lopez
de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de LouvainBelgiumJean-François Collet
ETH Zurich, Institute of MicrobiologySwitzerlandWolf-Dietrich Hardt
Global Health InstituteEPFLSwitzerlandMelanie Blokesch
GIMM – Gulbenkain Institute for Molecular MedicinePortugalKarina Xavier
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI)GermanyJosef Penninger
Human TechnopoleItalyFernanda Pinheiro
Institut PasteurFranceSebastian Baumgarten
Aude Bernheim
Carmen Buchrieser
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (IMBB-FORTH)GreeceGeorgios Chamilos
Institute of Technology, University of TartuEstoniaTanel Tenson
Karolinska InstitutetSwedenMarie-Stephanie Aschtgen
Edmund Loh
London School Hygiene & Tropical MedicineUKSerge Mostowy
The Francis Crick InstituteUKMaximiliano Gutierrez
The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå UniversitySwedenOliver Billker
VIBBelgiumCharles van der Henst
Jan Michiels
Weizmann Institute of ScienceIsraelRoi Avraham

Programme

Are you on social media? Post using #EMBLInfectionBiology and don’t forget to tag @EMBLEvents

  • Please note that the programme is subject to change.
  • For registered participants, recorded talks will be accessible on demand for 2 weeks after the end of the event, unless indicated otherwise.

Day 1 – Thursday, 14 November 2024
Time
(Europe/Berlin)
Session
13:20 – 13:40 Opening remarks by scientific organisers
13:40 – 14:20Plenary Talk
Deciphering Defense Systems of 7th Pandemic Vibrio cholerae
Melanie Blokesch – Global Health Institute, EPFL, Switzerland
14:20 – 14:25Session 1: Pathogen biology
Session Chairs:
Sebastian Baumgarten – Institute Pasteur, France
Eva Kowalinski – EMBL Grenoble, France
14:25 – 14:45Interspecies interactions modulate pathogenicity-associated phenotypes of Clostridioides difficile
Stephan Kamrad – University of Cambridge, UK
Not available on demand
14:45 – 15:05Rare infection phenotypes and how to find them
Camilla Ciolli Mattioli – Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
15:05 – 15:25A core network in the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid NTD orchestrates RNA recognition
Sophie Korn – Columbia University, USA
15:25 – 15:45In-cell discovery in Mycoplasma pneumoniae using CryoET
Rasmus Jensen – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Not available on demand
15:45 – 16:05Break
16:05 – 16:45Networking Session 1
16:45 – 17:00EU funding infrastructure talk
Jonathan Ewbank – ERINHA
17:00 – 17:05Session 2: Host-pathogen Interfaces
Session Chairs:
Maria Bernabeu – EMBL Barcelona, Spain
Wolf-Dietrich Hardt – ETH Zurich, Institute of Microbiology, Switzerland
17:05 – 17:25The battle between host and uropathogen in a human bladder microtissue model
Carlos Flores – Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
17:25 – 17:45Mapping the host-Shigella interface with proximity biotinylation
Ana Teresa Lopez Jimenez – London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
Not available on demand
17:45 – 18:05Pseudomonas aeruginosa faces fitness trade-offs at the airway mucosal surface
Lucas Meirelles – EPFL Switzerland
Not available on demand
18:05 – 18:25Viral-bacterial co-infections screen in vitro reveals molecular processes affecting pathogen proliferation and host cell viability
Philipp Walch – University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Day 2 – Friday, 15 November 2024
Time
(Europe/Berlin)
Session
11:00 – 12:15Career panel discussion: Preparing for an academic interview
12:15 – 13:00Break
13:00 – 13:10Introduction remarks
13:10 – 13:50Plenary talk
Malaria research: from basic insights to vaccine studies
Freddy Frischknecht – Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research (CIID), Heidelberg University, Germany
13:50 – 13:55Session 3: Host-pathogen Interfaces II
Session Chairs:
Maximiliano Gutierrez – The Francis Crick Institute, UK
Jan Kosinski – EMBL Hamburg, Germany
13:55 – 14:15Characterizing Host Genetics-Microbiome Interactions Prior to and During the Onset of Atopic Dermatitis and Food Allergy in Infancy
Zeyang Shen – National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, USA
14:15 – 14:35Hidden threats: A new paradigm in our understanding of antigenic variation and chronic, asymptomatic malaria infections
Francesca Florini – Weill Cornell Medicine, USA
14:35 – 14:55C4b-Binding Protein and Factor H attenuate NLRP3 Inflammasome-mediated signalling response during Group A Streptococci infection in human cells
Serena Bettoni – University of Bristol, UK
Not available on demand
14:55 – 15:15Break
15:15 – 16:00Networking Session 2
16:00 – 16:05Session 4: Anti-infectives (vaccines & antimicrobials)
Session Chairs:
Dirk Bumann – Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland
Nassos Typas – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
16:05 – 16:25Modulation of vaccine-induced immunity via the gut microbiome
Kelsey Huus – Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Germany
16:25 – 16:45Microbial context-dependence in the evolution of antibiotic resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
Michael Knopp – EMBL Heidelberg, Germany
Not available on demand
16:45 – 17:05Goblet cell invasion by Pseudomonas aeruginosa promotes breaching of human respiratory epithelia
A. Leoni Swart – University of Basel, Switzerland
17:05 – 17:25Break
17:25 – 18:10Networking Session 3
18:10 – 18:15Session 5: Computational methods and analyses for infection
Session Chairs:
Oliver Billker – The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Sweden
Fernanda Pinheiro – Human Technopole, Italy
18:15 – 18:35A large language model for studying bacterial genome architecture, population structure and epidemiology
Samuel Horsfield – EMBL-EBI, UK
18:35 – 18:55Bayesian modeling of bottleneck effects enables organoid infection screens
Laura Jenniches – Helmholtz-Institut für RNA-basierte Infektionsforschung, Germany
18:55 – 19:15The role of non-coding RNAs in regulating gametocyte development in malaria parasites
Janne Grünebast – University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA
19:15 – 19:30Closing remarks

Practical information

Registration Fees and Abstract Submission

Registration Fees (include access to all of the talks and online group discussions, and help us cover our costs to run the event. For further information please refer to the FAQ page):

Virtual Academia€225
Virtual PhD Student€175
Virtual Industry€225

Accredited journalists may be eligible to register for complimentary registration. Registrants may be required to provide accreditation or equivalent proof of press membership after registration. Please contact Sophie Dutzi for more information.

Confirmation and Payment

Registration will be on a first-come-first-served basis. Your place can only be confirmed after payment of the registration fee.
Types of payments accepted are international bank transfers and credit card payments.

Abstract Submission

Instructions for Postdocs wishing to apply for an oral presentation

Only registered participants are eligible to submit an abstract. We only accept online abstract submissions.

After you have logged in and successfully registered, you will receive an email asking you to submit your abstract of your current work, general directions of your future lab, specific aims of your research plan, and include a brief CV with three selected publications. Additionally you will be asked to submit a 5 minutes video short talk.  Click on the link provided and enter your application details. Alternatively, you can submit your abstract by clicking on the link on the confirmation page directly after registering. Your application will only be complete when both, abstract and short talk video, have been submitted. Plenary talks will be selected from the applications based on all submitted material. The submitted application material will be accessible to all participants throughout the conference.

A selection process will take place with the results announced 3-4 weeks after the abstract submission deadline.

For infection biology institutes wishing to participate, please contact the organisers.

Financial Assistance

Registration Fee Waivers

All academic and student registrants are invited to apply for a registration fee waiver, provided by the EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Programme and EMBO. The registration fee waiver covers the registration sum that you have paid to attend the meeting. Conference participants are not required to pre-pay the registration fee to be selected for a fee waiver for a virtual meeting. If you have already paid the registration fee and are awarded a fee waiver, it will be reimbursed after the meeting.

Application

Applications for financial assistance can be submitted via the submission portal (for the submission of abstracts for conferences or the submission of motivation letters for courses) by completing the Financial Assistance Application Section (underneath the section for entering abstract/motivation letter information). The link to the portal can be found in the registration confirmation email that you will receive after registering for the conference.

Selection

The scientific organisers will select the recipients of registration fee waivers during the abstract selection process for conferences and the participant selection process for courses. Results will be announced approximately 3 – 4 weeks before the event start date. Selection results do not impact your admission to the meeting. Registration fee waiver selection is based on your current work or study location, your motivation for applying, the reasons for needing financial support and the impact this event will have on your career.

Further details

Check our list of external funding opportunities and information on attending a conference as an event reporter.

For further information about financial assistance please refer to the FAQ page.

Virtual Participation Guidelines


Guidelines

Please do:

  • Use the event-specific hashtag as communicated during the event for any related tweets
  • Tweet unless the speaker specifically says otherwise
  • Be mindful of unpublished data
  • Be respectful in tone and content

Please don’t:

  • Share live stream or poster session links with others
  • Broadcast the conference to unregistered participants
  • Capture, transmit or redistribute data presented at the meeting unless presenter gives explicit consent
  • Use offensive language in your posts
  • Engage in rudeness or personal attacks

Additional information can be found in our Code of Conduct.

Health and well-being

It is important to stay healthy and move around, especially when you are attending an event virtually. We have put together a few coffee break stretches and yoga videos. You can find these under ‘resources’ on the conference platform.

How to ask questions

Please use the Q&A function. It is possible to send a direct message to participants, poster presenters, and speakers within the conference platform.

If you have any other questions, you can go to the Help Desk on the conference platform. Click on ‘more’ on the top menu and click Help Desk. 

Time zone

The programme is planned based on Central European Time (CET) or Central European Summer Time (CEST) unless otherwise stated. As many virtual participants are attending from around the world, we do our best to accommodate as many time zones as possible when creating the programme. Please take your time zone into consideration when planning your attendance. Remember to set your time zone in your account. 

Virtual event platforms

We are using a virtual event platform for this conference. More information about the platform will be shared ahead of the conference.

Additional Information

Please find additional information including FAQs and terms and conditions on our Information for Participants page.

Sponsors


Event sponsor


Event supporter

Media partners

ChemBioChem, a Wiley Journal

Cell Host and Microbe, a Cell Press Journal

Disease Models & Mechanisms, The Company of Biologists Journal

EMBO Molecular Medicine, an EMBO Press journal

FEBS Letters

International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Medinformatics, a Bon View Publishing journal

Open Biology, a Royal Society journal


Sponsorship opportunities

We offer a variety of event sponsoring possibilities, with the flexibility to select a set sponsorship package or combine individual sponsorship options to suit your event budget. Discounts are available for companies sponsoring multiple events at EMBL Heidelberg. View other conferences, or contact sponsorship@embl.de for further information on sponsoring possibilities.

If you are interested in becoming a media partner of this event, please visit our media partnerships webpage.

Warning

EMBL wishes to warn sponsors of EMBL conferences and courses of fraudulent schemes purporting to offer sponsorship opportunities on behalf of EMBL or affiliated with EMBL officials. One current scam campaign of which we are aware is conducted using the name ‘Judy Eastman’ (judy@gopcontact.a2hosted.com) and entails approaches to sponsors offering sponsorship opportunities on EMBL’s behalf. Please be kindly advised that all relevant communication regarding sponsorship of EMBL conferences, symposia and courses is handled by EMBL directly and is sent from an official EMBL account. EMBL does not work with any external providers on sponsorship acquisition.

Please also note that:

  • EMBL never provides attendee lists for purchase. Any offers of such are fraudulent.
  • EMBL will never call or email you to ask for your credit card details or to request a payment.
  • All payments are on invoice.

Suspicious communications purportedly from, for or on behalf of EMBL should be reported to EMBL at the following email address sponsorship@embl.de.

Media kit

Want to let others know you’re attending this event? Take a look at our shareable media and feel free to use them in your social media channels or presentations.

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Date: 14 - 15 Nov 2024

Location: Virtual


Deadline(s):

Abstract submission: Closed

Registration: Closed


Organisers:

  • Maria Bernabeu
    EMBL Barcelona, Spain
    • Jan Kosinski
      EMBL Hamburg, Germany

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