Purdue Applied Microbiome Sciences to host 2024 Midwest Microbiome Symposium

Seminar will highlight developments in the relationship between resilience and microbial communities

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Midwest Microbiome Symposium is making its return to Purdue University’s Beck Agricultural Center May 13-15. Originated and hosted by Purdue Applied Microbiome Sciences (PAMS), this three-day seminar will unravel the latest developments in the field of microbiome research.

“We are very excited to host again as the Midwest Microbiome Symposium returns home to Purdue this year, and are looking forward to deepening the academic conversation around how microbiomes contribute to resilience of both natural and engineered systems,” said Stephen Lindemann, associate professor in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Food Science and leader of Diet-Microbiome Interactions Laboratory.

This year’s symposium will cover multifaceted themes, including the transformative impact of robotic sciences on both phenotypes and genotypes, the connection between environmental and animal microbiomes, the crucial role microbiology plays in optimizing drinking water systems, and the utilization of experimental data to access gastrointestinal physiology. 

“While our system-specific scientific communities are strewn across the world, this regional conference is a great way to connect with microbiome enthusiasts more locally,” said Caitlin Proctor, Purdue assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering and environmental and ecological engineering. “Our theme this year, microbial community resilience, is important to so many systems, and I look forward to coming together to share tools, theories and resources that tackle important remaining questions.”

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to engage with microbiome experts about innovations, groundbreaking discoveries and advancements in data science. For those eager to showcase their research, abstract submissions for oral and poster presentations can be made through the symposium’s website. The deadline for oral presentation submissions is April 11, while poster presentation submissions will be accepted until April 25.

The lineup of distinguished keynote speakers features:

• Adina Howe, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University and leader of the Genomics and Environmental Research in Microbial Systems Laboratory.
• Ameet Pinto, environmental engineer, the Carlton S. Wilder Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, and leader of the microbial ecosystem research group Pinto Lab.
• Paul Jensen, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan and leader of Jensen Lab, a group of engineers and scientists that employ robotics, genomics and computation to accelerate microbiology and develop innovative therapies for infectious diseases.
• Purna Kashyap, practicing gastroenterologist, professor of medicine and physiology, the Bernard and Edith Waterman Director of the microbiome program, and director of the germ-free mouse facility in the Center for Individualized Medicine at Mayo Clinic.

The conference will also feature a career panel, with representatives from a wide range of industry sectors. This inclusive panel highlights seasoned professionals from other colleges and universities, corporate entities, government organizations, nongovernmental research bodies and individuals who switch between fields. 

“We hope to draw a diverse group of academic and industrial scientists across career stages and disciplines interested in microbial communities and resilience, and we are especially looking forward to the inclusion of trainees in the conversation,” Lindemann noted.

General registration can be completed through the registration link. Admission is $250 per person. Trainees can register at a discounted rate of $85.

To qualify for corporate sponsorship at the 2024 Midwest Microbiome Symposium and the chance to organize informational product/service booths inside Beck Agricultural Center, please email the PAMS team at PamsExec@purdue.edu.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the new Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, and Purdue Computes — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives. 

Writer/Media contact: Devyn Raver, draver@purdue.edu

Sources: Caitlin Proctor, proctoc@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu

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