WORKSHOP: Strengthening Research Collaborations and Dissemination Knowledge of Nematode-Bacterium Partnerships. April 20-22, 2007 at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.

微生物和真核宿主之间的密切联系在自然界中广泛存在，发生在每种类型的生态位中。这种相互作用的范围从高度整合的强制性共生到松散的关联。了解微生物及其宿主如何在不同的生物学水平上相互作用是至关重要的。真核生物与原核生物之间最常见的相互作用之一是线虫（蛔虫）与细菌之间的相互作用。线虫和细菌之间的联系范围非常广泛，从偶然的到必然的，从有益的到致病的。此外，这种广泛的共生现象发生在我们星球上所有可能的栖息地。目前，世界上许多研究人员正在研究这两类生物之间的联系。然而，尽管每一个学科的进步无疑会给其他学科带来启示，但在这一学科中所做的科学研究之间并不存在共同的、连贯的基础。此外，比较方法有能力揭示线虫-细菌关联的共同潜在主题以及共生的基本方面。“线虫-细菌共生”研讨会将促进研究细菌-线虫关联的科学家之间的知识对话。本次研讨会的目标有三个：1)促进科学家之间的跨学科合作；2)打破研究线虫-微生物关系的不同分类群之间的障碍；3)鼓励从事基础研究和应用研究的科学家探索相声和网络如何加强和推动这一领域的科学发展。研讨会将于2007年4月21日至23日在亚利桑那州图森市的亚利桑那大学举行。主讲人将介绍与微生物-线虫相互作用有关的广泛分类群和主题，包括外共生和内共生、有益共生、多营养相互作用、发病机制、宿主识别、定植过程、遗传学和基因组学。受邀的演讲者都是各自研究领域的世界知名专家，其中包括来自代表性不足群体的个人，包括女性（2人）、初级调查人员（2人）和少数族裔（1人）。这次研讨会将有助于在历史上分离的学科之间建立桥梁，为设定共同和比较的研究目标提供场所，并创造新的研究合作和方向。它的挑战是对线虫-细菌共生领域最重要的问题做出明智的决定，这些问题将由基因组学、分子生物学和计算生物学的新方法来解决。该研讨会还旨在鼓励参与者思考和展示他们的工作，并牢记线虫-微生物关联是可以在不同级别的课程课程中应用和考虑的优秀模型系统。本次研讨会的会议记录将被总结并作为一系列论文一起提交给《共生》杂志，作为本次研讨会的特刊。

Intimate associations between microbes and eukaryotic hosts are widespread in nature, occurring in every type of ecological niche. The spectrum of such interactions ranges from highly integrated obligatory symbioses to loose associations. Understanding how microorganisms and their hosts interact with each other and at different biological levels is of fundamental importance. One of the most common eukaryote-prokaryote interactions is that between nematodes (roundworms) and bacteria. The range of associations between nematodes and bacteria is incredibly broad, ranging from fortuitous to obligate and from beneficial to pathogenic. Moreover, this extensive spectrum of symbioses occurs in all possible habitats of our planet.At present numerous researchers worldwide are studying associations between these two groups of organisms. Yet no common coherent ground exists connecting the science being done in this discipline, despite the fact that advances in each will undoubtedly inform the others. Furthermore, a comparative approach has the power to reveal common underlying themes of nematode-bacterium associations as well as fundamental aspects of symbiosisA workshop on 'Nematode-Bacteria Symbioses' will promote intellectual discourse among scientists studying bacteria-nematode association. The goals of this workshop are threefold: 1) Foster interdisciplinary collaborations between scientists; 2) break down barriers between researchers studying different taxonomic groups of nematode-microbe associations; 3) encourage scientists engaged in basic and applied research to explore how cross-talk and networking can enhance and advance science in this field. The workshop will be held from April 21 to 23, 2007, at the University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona. Keynote speakers will present on a broad range of taxa and topics pertaining to microbe-nematode interactions, including ecto- and endosymbiosis, beneficial symbioses, multitrophic interactions, pathogenesis, host recognition, colonization processes, genetics and genomics. The invited speakers are world-recognized experts in their research fields and include individuals from underrepresented groups including women (two), beginning investigators (two) and racial minorities (one). This workshop will help build bridges between historically separated disciplines, provide a venue for setting common and comparative research goals, and create new research collaborations and directions. Its challenge is to make educated decisions regarding the most important questions for the field of Nematode-Bacterium Symbioses to be addressed by the new methodologies of genomics, molecular and computational biology. This workshop is also meant to encourage participants to think and present their work bearing in mind that nematode-microbe associations are excellent model systems that can be applied and considered at different level of course curricula. The proceedings of this workshop will be summarized and submitted together as a series of papers to the journal, "Symbiosis" as a special issue dedicated to this symposium.