As we close out the 2023-24 academic year, we reflect on the achievements and growth within the Microbial Systems Initiative. This year, our efforts have centered around fostering connections, advancing research, and supporting the professional growth of our community. Here’s a look at how these priorities have shaped our activities over the past year.
The Microbial Multiverse Symposium, held on September 14-16, 2023, showcased the extensive microbial systems research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The event opened with a public lecture by Margaret McFall-Ngai from Carnegie Science, followed by a series of research sessions at the Beckman Institute. These sessions covered topics such as Microbes and the Environment, Microbe-Microbe Interaction, Microbes and Nutrition, and Microbes and the Brain, featuring both UIUC researchers and invited speakers. The symposium concluded with a panel discussion on Microbes in Society, exploring the broader impacts of microbial research. Co-hosted by the Department of Microbiology, the Institute for Genomic Biology, the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Personalized Nutrition Initiative, and supported by the Olga G. Nalbandov Lecture Fund, this symposium highlighted the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of microbial research at Illinois.
The 4th Annual MicroERA Research Symposium, held on March 18, 2024, provided a platform for early-career researchers to present their work. With poster sessions and lightning talk presentations, the event highlighted innovative research conducted by trainees and fostered valuable discussions and networking opportunities.
Microbe Mondays continue to be a cornerstone of MSI’s community-building efforts. These monthly gatherings featured research presentations from faculty and trainees, followed by informal networking over lunch. Highlights included sessions by Christopher Fields (Director of HPCbio) and Alvaro Gonzalo Hernandez (Director of DNA Services) discussing microbial and metagenomic sequencing services at the Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center. These events provided a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration across disciplines.
The monthly MSI Newsletter distributes important updates, celebrates achievements, promotes professional development, and fosters community engagement within the Microbial Systems Initiative. Researcher spotlights in the newsletter highlight individual researchers' work and contributions, fostering recognition, inspiring peers, and promoting a sense of community and pride within the Microbial Systems Initiative. This year we highlighted 5 researchers:
- Guillermo Monroy- postdoctoral research associate in Stephen Boppart's Biophotonics Imaging Laboratory at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.
- Sierra Raglin- postdoctoral research fellow in Angela Kent's Microbial Ecology Research Lab.
- Alvaro Hernandez- Director of DNA Services at the Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center
- Maria Elisa Caetano-Silva- a postdoctoral associate in Integrative Microbiota & Physiology under Jacob Allen in the Department of Health and Kinesiology
- Christopher J. Fields is the Director of HPCBio the Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center
The most important thing MSI has to offer is the ability to foster interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration through events like the Microbial Multiverse Symposium and Microbe Mondays. This collaborative approach is invaluable to the University of Illinois community as it promotes knowledge exchange, innovative research, and professional growth across various fields.
As we look forward to the next academic year, we are excited about the continued growth and development of our community. MSI is committed to fostering a welcoming environment for diverse individuals and we encourage everyone to engage and share in our events and activities. The best way to stay up to date with the MSI community is by subscribing to our newsletter.
