ASM/ASV Conference on Intestinal Viruses, Bacteria and the Host

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Abstract Acute gastroenteritis is the second leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age worldwide, and a major cause of illness in the US with ~176 million cases. In the US, gastroenteritis-associated deaths have increased, particularly in the elderly. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses are often the culprit but the commensal microbiota and the host modulate symptoms and disease outcome. The interaction of viruses and bacteria in the lung are an active area of research, for example the exacerbation of secondary bacterial infections following influenza virus infection. However, how parallel interactions between bacteria and viruses in the intestine influence bacterial or viral pathogenesis and overall health outcomes have not been studied widely. Early studies suggest an exacerbation of viral pathogenesis by the microbiota. Thus, the first ASM/ASV conference entitled: “ Living as a threesome in the gut: viruses, bacteria and the host ” will bring together scientists studying the various facets of enteric bacteria and viruses, the microbiome and the host to present their latest findings and cutting-edge advances in these areas. Funds are requested to provide partial support to cover attendance of postdoctoral fellows and junior scientists for this first ever ASM/ASV Conference on Intestinal Viruses, Bacteria and the Host to be held May 1-4, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency, Bethesda, MD. The conference will be jointly sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and American Society for Virology (ASV). The American Society for Microbiology will provide management expertise and some financial support. The Program schedule is based upon past successful ASM conferences and is aimed at 150-200 scientists. The speaker invitations have been met with enthusiastic support, which we are confident will be shared by the scientific community. The Program includes 2 keynote lecture from 2 prominent scientists and 5 sessions, with 6-8 speakers in each section. At least 20 of the talks will be selected based on submitted abstracts. This arrangement provides flexibility to present cutting-edge advances and to enlist a diverse spectrum of emerging and established speakers. The majority of accepted speakers to date (~70%) are women, positioning us well for hosting a gender-balanced conference. Chairs for each session will be selected for their expertise in the subject area, while co-chairs will be junior scientists or trainees. Sessions range in topic from the host response in the intestine at the cellular and organismal level to the interplay between enteric viruses, pathogenic bacteria and the microbiota as well as novel approaches to model intestinal infections. The goal of the conference will be to engage scientists from different fields to discuss and disseminate interdisciplinary research that focuses on the intestine, highlight the achievements of women, minorities, and junior members of the scientific community, and to establish synergistic and interdisciplinary networks to enhance and stimulate new research in this area in the future. This is the first meeting of its kind that brings together scientists with this specific focus. If successful, we will be able to provide financial support to young scientists studying a newly emerging topic that is not well understood to date, but promises to yield unique scientific insights with potential impacts on human health.