5th ASM Conference on Beneficial Microbes; September 27-30, 2014, Washington, D.C.

2014有益微生物大会为交流关于常驻微生物及其对动植物适应性影响的最新概念和技术研究进展提供了一个论坛。会议将汇集来自多个学科（微生物学，免疫学，基因组学，营养学，生态学，系统生物学，进化生物学和临床科学）的美国和国际研究人员，并包括五个会议：(1)微生物群和肠-脑轴；(2)宿主-微生物相互作用的进化动力学；(3)营养与免疫功能：跨物种视角；(4)宿主-微生物相互作用生态学；(5)人体健康和疾病中的有益微生物。每次会议将包括两场邀请演讲，四场从提交的摘要中选出的演讲和一场带有定量风格的进一步演讲（邀请或选择），以传播大型数据集分析的最佳实践，并促进对宿主-微生物相互作用的计算分析和数学建模的突出障碍的讨论。会议还将包括两次海报会议。生物学家越来越认识到动物和植物是多有机体的，即总是与良性或有益的微生物有关。2014年有益微生物会议将为交流这些相互作用的想法和信息提供机会，并探索令人兴奋的新机会，以促进具有经济和保护意义的动物/植物的健康和活力，包括农作物、传粉媒介和害虫。会议为分组讨论专业发展（如职业）中的特定科学主题和问题提供了广告宣传的机会。关于有益微生物研究未来方向的会议讨论将是发表关于研究优先事项的评论的基础，以克服当前阻碍该领域发展的障碍。通过邀请和旅行援助，会议将特别有助于促进早期职业研究人员、妇女和少数民族的机会，确保这些参与者得到充分的代表，并充分支持他们的科学职业机会。

The 2014 Beneficial Microbes Conference provides a forum for the exchange of the latest conceptual and technological research advances on resident microorganisms and their impact on the fitness of animals and plants. The meeting will bring together US and international researchers from multiple disciplines (microbiology, immunology, genomics, nutrition, ecology, systems biology, evolutionary biology and clinical science), and comprises five sessions: (1) Microbiota and the Gut-Brain Axis; (2) Evolutionary Dynamics of Host-Microbe Interactions; (3) Nutrition and Immune Function: Cross-Species Perspectives; (4) The Ecology of Host-Microbial Interactions; and (5) Beneficial Microbes in Human Health and Disease. Each session will include two invited talks, four talks selected from submitted abstracts and one further talk (invited or selected) with a quantitative flavor, to disseminate best practice in analysis of large datasets and facilitate discussion of outstanding barriers to computational analysis and mathematical modeling of host-microbial interactions. The conference will also include two poster sessions.Biologists are increasingly recognizing that animals and plants are multi-organismal, i.e. invariably associated with benign or beneficial microorganisms. The 2014 Beneficial Microbes Conference will provide the opportunity to exchange ideas and information on these interactions, and explore exciting new opportunities to promote the health and vigor of animals/plants of economic and conservation importance, including agricultural crops, pollinators, and pests. The conference includes advertised opportunities for break-out groups to discuss specific scientific topics and issues in professional development (e.g. careers). A Conference Discussion on Future Directions in Beneficial Microbes Research will be the foundation for a published commentary on research priorities to overcome current barriers to advancement of the field. The conference will be particularly useful to promote opportunities for early-career researchers, women and minorities, through invitation and travel assistance, ensuring that these participants are well-represented and their scientific career opportunities are fully supported.