The International Workshop on Biology and Biotechnology of Thermophilic Microorganisms; October, 2015-Georgia and Erevan, Armenia

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Part 1The proposed workshop in Tbilisi, Georgia and Erevan, Armenia will catalyze collaborations and partnerships between US, Georgian, and Armenian researchers in the field of the diversity and distribution of thermophilic microorganisms. It will also stimulate and advance research into the biology and ecology of thermophilic microorganisms with respect to fundamental science and biotechnological applications. The project will support participation of undergraduate/graduate students and early career scientists. The international nature of this project will provide the platform for improving the network of collaborative research and will be used for development of further exciting research opportunities for undergraduate students, as well as enrichment in students? educational and cultural experiences. The workshop webpage will be created on the University of Tennessee Center for Environmental Biotechnology?s website where the program, its mission, the list of participants, and a summary of delivered metrics will be published for public access.Part 2Thermophilic organisms were discovered among bacteria, archaea, and mycelial fungi. Many (hyper)thermophiles tolerate other environmental extremes such as high acidity, high pressure or radiation levels, which makes them valuable subjects for applied microbiology and biotechnology.The Caucasus Mountains located between the Black and the Caspian seas are poised for major discoveries, since the thermal features here have not undergone intensive study with advanced methods. The proposed international workshop to take place in Tbilisi, Georgia, and Yerevan, Armenia, will bring together scientists from U.S., Georgia and Armenia to discuss what is known about the diversity and distribution of thermophilic microorganisms in little-known thermal sites of the Caucasus. During the workshop, the unique collection of microorganisms isolated from various thermal sites including deep subsurface thermal aquifers will be discussed. The microorganisms and sites they were isolated from will be documented and systemized, so that follow-up studies and collaborations can be developed. The round table sessions will discuss the application of next generation omics techniques and bioinformatics for studying diversity and discovering novel strains with valuable characteristics. This may lead to innovative strategies and improvement of the current biotechnological processes. The uniqueness of this environment, its lack of in-depth microbial analyses, and the near-absence of previous international collaborations makes this workshop attractive in many ways.