29th Annual Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC)

项目摘要/摘要 最近的新冠肺炎大流行以及传染病的出现和卷土重来凸显了 微生物科学在应对全球公共卫生挑战方面的重要性。中西部微生物致病机制 会议(MMPC)是一个高影响力的年度科学会议，致力于展示在 微生物致病，促进初级师生和博士后专业发展 培养多样化和包容性的科学交流与合作环境。自.以来 MMPC成立于1994年，在爱荷华州大学，MMPC会议每年在交替的学术会议上举行 横跨美国中西部地区的机构。该会议定期吸引250名−400注册用户 包括本科生和研究生、博士后研究员、研究人员和教职员工，他们互动 在为期3天的活动中广泛传播。第29届MMPC将由芝加哥西北大学主办， 伊利诺伊州，从2023年10月20日−22开始。这是第三次(1995、2007、2023)这个出席人数众多的会议 已在西北大学举办。MMPC致力于支持 初级科学家，特别关注在生物科学中历史上代表性不足的群体。 通过有组织的职业发展论坛和“与演讲者见面”系列，以及非正式互动 在职业生涯各个阶段的海报、招待会和与同事共进晚餐时，MMPC 2023旨在最大限度地扩大网络联系 中西部和更远地区的科学家和机构之间的合作。区域通达性强、成本低 对旅行和注册的财政支持使MMPC能够招募不同的参与者群体。在保持 凭借MMPC的丰富传统，91%的演讲者(不包括主旨演讲者和开幕式演讲者)被邀请参加 将由研究生、博士后研究员或助理教授进行口头报告。61% (61%)被邀请的教职员工演讲者是女性，该小组包括代表个人、 地理上，以及微生物发病机制领域的主题多样性。剩下的五个口头陈述 会议将从学生和博士后研究员提交的摘要中挑选出来。我们建议 根据优点和多样性，免除额外13名学员的报名费。我们还计划提供注册服务 向20名妇女和/或代表人数不足的群体的学者提供费用和住宿豁免。最后，MMPC 2023年将由Burroughs Wellcome Fund的Eric Skaar博士(范德比尔特大学)发表主旨演讲 传染病发病机制的研究者和一位学者，他将展示他的开创性工作 营养金属影响细菌病原体与脊椎动物相互作用的机制 主持人。因此，NIAID的这种支持将把来自不同国家的不同和代表性不足的科学家聚集在一起 建立协作网络的微生物学分支学科，同时促进下一代的职业生涯 科学家的身份。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The recent COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence and resurgence of infectious diseases have highlighted the importance of microbial science in tackling global public health challenges. The Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC) is a high-impact annual scientific meeting dedicated to showcasing research excellence in microbial pathogenesis, fostering professional development for junior faculty and students and postdoctoral scholars, and cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment for scientific exchange and collaborations. Since its inception in 1994 at the University of Iowa, MMPC meetings have been held annually at alternating academic institutions across the Midwest region of the United States. The meeting regularly attracts 250−400 registrants that include undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research staff and faculty, who interact extensively during the 3-day event. The 29th annual MMPC will be hosted by Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, from October 20th−22nd, 2023. This is the third time (1995, 2007, 2023) this well-attended conference has been hosted at Northwestern University. MMPC is committed to support the development and networking of junior scientists, with particular attention to groups that are historically underrepresented in Biological Sciences. Through the structured career development forum and “Meet the Speakers” series, and the informal interactions at posters, reception and meals with colleagues across career stages, MMPC 2023 aims to maximize networking between scientists and institutions across the Midwest and beyond. Regional accessibility, low cost, and strong financial support for travel and registration allows MMPC to recruit a diverse group of participants. In keeping with MMPC’s rich tradition, 91% of speakers (excluding the keynote and opening session speakers) invited to give oral presentations will be graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or Assistant Professors. Sixty-one percent (61%) of the invited faculty speakers are women, and the group includes speakers representing personal, geographic, and topic diversity across the field of microbial pathogenesis. The remaining five oral presentations for the meeting will be selected from abstracts submitted by students and postdoctoral fellows. We propose to waive registration fee for additional 13 trainees based on merit and diversity. We also plan to provide registration fee and lodging waivers to 20 scholars who are women and/or from underrepresented groups. Finally, MMPC 2023 will feature a keynote address by Dr. Eric Skaar (Vanderbilt University), a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Investigator in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease and a Searle Scholar, who will present his seminal work on the mechanisms by which nutrient metals shape the interactions between bacterial pathogens and vertebrate hosts. This support from NIAID will thus bring together diverse and underrepresented scientists from different microbiology subdisciplines to build collaborative networks while enhancing the careers of the next generations of scientists.