Colloquium on Pathogens, to be held November 6-9, 2003 in Key Largo, FL

美国微生物学会将于2003年11月6日至9日在佛罗里达州的基拉戈召集一个由大约60名专家科学家组成的小组，在迄今全部测序的基因组的背景下研究与病原体基因组测序有关的问题。学术讨论会的范围将包括导致植物、动物和人类发病的病毒、细菌和真菌。座谈会将从最初的概述会议开始，包括一个或两个案例研究，强调基因组序列信息的价值，导致对教训的讨论和关于该领域应该走向何方的一套正式想法。较小的与会者工作组随后将举行会议，讨论指导委员会提前制定的问题。将讨论的一些问题包括病原体和密切相关物种基因组测序工作的现状，确定定义病原体的具体标准，以及加强序列数据收集的新技术。在讨论会的最后一天，所有工作组将再次举行全体会议，分享他们的小组报告，讨论提出的任何问题，并为未来的科学工作提出建议。一名专业的科学作家将与指导委员会密切合作，编写一份报告草稿，供座谈会与会者审阅。它将根据座谈情况介绍背景情况，并就该领域的进一步科学努力提出一系列建议。该报告将以印刷和电子格式编写。

The American Society for Microbiology will convene a group of approximately 60 expert scientists for a colloquium November 6-9, 2003, in Key Largo, Florida, to look at pathogen genome sequencing-related issues in the context of the total set of fully sequenced genomes to date. The scope of the colloquium will include viruses, bacteria, and fungi responsible for pathogenesis in plants, animals, and humans. The colloquium will begin with an initial overview session including one or two case studies highlighting the value of genome sequence information, leading into a discussion of lessons and a formal set of ideas about where the field should go. Smaller working groups of participants will then meet to discuss questions that the steering committee has developed ahead of time. Some of the issues to be discussed include the current status of genome sequencing efforts on pathogens and closely related species, identifying specific criteria that define a pathogen, and new technologies to enhance the collection of sequence data. On the final day of the colloquium, all the working groups will reconvene in a general session to share their group reports, to discuss any issues raised, and to develop their recommendations for future scientific efforts. A professional science writer, working closely with the steering committee, will develop a draft report for review by the colloquium participants. It will provide a background briefing based on the colloquium presentations and a set of recommendations for further scientific endeavors in the field. The report will be developed in print and electronic formats.