Final Program!

 

[UPDATE!] Deadline extension for abstract submission

We are pleased to inform you that the deadline for abstract submission to participate in our Microbial Frontiers symposium, both in poster and oral presentation formats, has been extended until October 18th.

You can complete your registration through the following link:
Registration Form

We kindly ask for your support in sharing this information with your colleagues and other interested parties.

International Symposium MICROBIAL FRONTIERS: ECOLOGY IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS

 We are very excited to confirm that the International Symposium "Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments" will take place on November 13-14, 2024 at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago. This symposium will feature renowned experts who will discuss cutting-edge research on microbial ecology in extreme environments, such as the Atacama Desert, Antarctica, and other unique ecosystems.

We would like to remind you that there is an opportunity to present your research in the form of a poster or an oral presentation. For those who prefer to attend as observers, this will be an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest innovations in the field and to establish scientific collaborations.

Additionally, the Workshop on Metagenomics: Data Analysis and Processing will also take place on November 11-12, 2024, focusing on practical techniques in metagenomic analysis. As spaces for this workshop are limited, we recommend registering as soon as possible.

Registration:

• To register for the workshop, please complete the following form: Workshop Registration
• To register for the symposium, please complete the following form: Symposium Registration

For more information, please feel free to email us at microbialfrontiers@gmail.com, or follow us on Instagram: @microbialfrontiers.

We look forward to your participation!

How to participate ?

The international Symposium Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments is a completely FREE EVENT for all attendees.
Here are some details:

• The official language of the event is English.
• You can participate by presenting your research in poster or oral format, and you can also attend as an observer. Register at the following link: https://forms.gle/E3ARgksrsFe8v7wf6
• To register for our metagenomics analyses workshop, visit the following link: https://forms.gle/y7Jr9pmc1rgJaEfLA
• To join our emailing list, please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/63Y1VYfY7vHeaY9r7.
• The deadline for abstract submission and workshop registration is October 11, 2024.

Program

Definitive program will be available in a few days!

Who are we?

 The Extreme Ecosystem Microbiomics & Ecogenomics Laboratory (@e2me.lab) at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) (@ucatolicaoficial), with the support of VRI (PUC) the sponsorship of Fermelo (@fermelobiotec), is organizing this symposium to connect the Chilean community interested in microbial ecology in extreme environments

This symposium arises from our interest as doctoral students to gather and strengthen the Chilean community dedicated to the study of microbial ecology in extreme environments. Together with Dr. Jean-Baptiste Ramond, we have successfully secured the support and funding necessary to bring this event to life! In addition to featuring presentations by renowned experts in the field, we want to create a space where undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students can attend and present their research; thus fostering the exchange of ideas and the development of new collaborations.

Over the course of two days, we will showcase national research and offer a platform for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students to present their work. We will also have Professor Don Cowan, a world expert in the ecology of extreme environments, with a focus on the Namib Desert and Antarctica. 

Additionally, we will be holding a Metagenomics Analysis Workshop during the symposium, providing hands-on training in metagenomic analysis techniques. This workshop is an excellent opportunity for attendees to enhance their skills in bioinformatics and metagenomics.

Join us to learn and share with other passionate researchers!

Guidelines for Poster Session

•  Posters will be on display for 2 days of the conference (Wednesday and Thurdsday). However, they only will be presented on one of these two days.
• Authors are requested to ensure that the poster is on the allocated poster board by 10am on the first day (Wednesday 13th) and are removed at the end of symposium. Those not removed by this time will be disposed of by the event coordinators. 
• It will be assigned a number to your poster. A freestanding compatible poster board will be provided for your poster. Your poster number will appear on the top right hand side of the board so you can locate your board easily.
• You will be informed on your poster board number and the exact time of your presentation by beginning of November. 

General instructions for your poster

• Poster size should be A0 portrait oriented (vertical) (width: 84 cm, Length: 118 cm). Do not exceed these dimensions. 
• Apply the KISS principle: ‘Keep it Short and Simple’. Avoid putting too much text and figures on the poster.
• Your poster is a visual aid to present your work. The less text the better. Visual elements such as figures, graphs, diagrams should dominate.
• Use a light colour background and dark colour letters for contrast. Use 2-3 colours and avoid overly bright colours.
• Presenting your poster: Prepare a poster pitch of three minutes at the very most, in which you walk your audience through the most important results of your poster. Practice your poster pitch beforehand. Only provide more information to those who ask, remember, most attendees would like to visit as many posters as possible.

Font size & type

• The poster must be easily readable from 2 m distance
• The title should be at least 100 pt, font size the text on the poster at least 36 pt.
• Don’t mix fonts, chose one font for all text blocs in the entire poster. You may wish to use a second font for title + headings and figures and tables.

Text elements

• Use text sparingly. Your poster is not a paper, and there is little time for visitors to read. Let the visuals speak.
• Use columns of max. 70 characters (including spaces) width. Avoid large blocks with text and long sentences (<10 sentences per block; <50 words per block).
• Avoid large blocks of text. Instead, use bulleted statements.
• Avoid abbreviations. When abbreviations or codes are necessary, keep them as simple as possible.
• Choose the line spacing such that the use of sub- and superscripts will not affect the layout of text blocks.

Poster design

• Your title is 90% of your poster. It's the first thing the audience reads. If your title is long and complicated, most will assume the rest of your poster is as well.
• Place your most important information on the top or middle of the poster, not on the bottom where most people cannot easily read it.
• The objectives of the study, the research questions or the hypothesis should be clearly stated in as few words as possible.
• As a rule, methods should be as short and general as possible.
• Results should be presented preferably as figures, graphs, etc.. They should be self-explanatory and include a legend. Providing an interpretation of the results below each image helps the reader understand what the 'take home message' of the image is.
• The conclusions should be succinctly stated on large type font. Many viewers read the conclusions first, and read only your conclusions. Hence the main conclusions should be easy to locate and easy to understand. Indicate in the conclusions:
• do your findings confirm your hypothesis?
• the novelty your findings
• their relevance beyond your study

Figures and Graphs

An image says 1000 words. Let your images do the talking, not the text.

• Graphs or tables should be self-explanatory and include a well-worded, concise legend. Symbols are best explained in an inset within the figure or graph, so the reader doesn't have to jump back and forth between the legend and the image.
• Put legends above a table and below a figure.
• Keep legends short (10-25 words).

Figures

• Properly label the x- and y-axis of graphs, include units.
• Keep graphs as simple as possible.
• Include the results of statistical analyses (significance levels) in the graphs by using discriminating letter codes (a, ab, b) or asterisks (*, **, ***).

Tables

• Do not use tables that contain more than 20 items. Complex data should not be included in your poster but may be provided in a separate information sheet.
• Do not give more decimals than necessary to show meaningful variation.

Guidelines for Oral Presentations

• Allocated in 10 min including question time. We suggest you prepare no more than 8 slides.
• Please ensure that your presentation does not go over your allotted time.
• Presentations must be submitted the day before your presentation to microbialfrontiers@gmail.com in .pptx format
• Your presentation file should be named using your name, the day & the session you are presenting in example: Conejeros_Camilo_Wednesday_Session_1.
• Please be at the appointed session room at least 15 minutes before the start of your session to meet with the session chairs, check you presentation and get familiar with the equipment.

 Equipment Available for your use

•  Windows compatible computer running Microsoft PowerPoint
•  Projector
•  Screen – 16:9 format
•  Microphone at lectern
•  Sound system – connected to computer for computer/video audio
•  Laser Pointer and remote clicker

International keynote speaker: Prof Don Cowan

We are thrilled to introduce Professor Don A. Cowan as one of our keynote speakers at the "Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments" Symposium! 

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Cowan has specialized in microbial ecology across various ecosystems, with a particular focus on extreme environments. Over the past decade, he has conducted groundbreaking research on the microbial ecology of soils in the Namib Desert (Africa) and has studied the microbiology of the Dry Valleys in East Antarctica, at the lower limits of biotic temperature. His work is widely recognized, with 24,942 citations on Google Scholar, an h-index of 79, and over 300 publications in the field

National keynote speaker: Prof Beatriz Díez

 We are excited to introduce Dr. Beatriz Díez as one of our keynote speakers at the “Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments” Symposium!

Dr. Díez is a spanish biologist and associate professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.Her research focuses on the study of microorganisms that inhabit extremophile environments, ranging from polar systems to cold and warm alpine thermal environments, such as those found in the Atacama Desert, active volcanoes in Chile, and ancient glaciers of Antarctica and sub-Antarctic regions. Dr. Díez and her team have contributed valuable insights into microorganisms in these ecosystems, exploring their biogeography and their role in biogeochemical cycles, as well as their biotechnological potential. Additionally, they use extremophilic organisms, particularly cyanobacteria, as models to study their evolution, ecological roles, and responses to environmental changes, as well as the metabolic, genetic, and genomic adaptations that enable their survival in extreme conditions.

National Speaker: Prof Jonathan Maldonado

 We are excited to introduce Dr. Jonathan Maldonado as one of our national speakers at the "Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments" Symposium!

Dr. Maldonado is a Molecular Biotechnologist and holds a Ph.D. in Sciences, with a specialization in Molecular, Cellular, and Neurosciences from the Universidad de Chile. He is currently an Assistant Professor and the head of the Plant Multiomic and Bioinformatics Lab at the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH) and a Young Researcher of the Millennium Institute of Integrative Biology (iBio).

His research focuses on the relationship between the microbiome and native plants that grow in extreme environmental conditions, such as the Atacama Desert, using multi-omic tools.

National Speaker: Prof Michael Seeger

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Michael Seeger as a national speaker at the "Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments" Symposium!

Dr. Seeger is a Full Professor of Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Microbiology at the Technical University Federico Santa María (UTFSM) in Valparaíso, Chile, where he also directs the Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Environmental Biotechnology. He earned his Ph.D. in Biology from the Universidad de Chile, completing his thesis at the German Center for Biotechnology (GBF) in Braunschweig.

His research explores microbial metabolism, biodegradation, bioremediation, and the synthesis of biotechnological products, with a special focus on environmental microbiology and microorganism-plant interactions.

Currently the Vice-President of the Chilean Society of Biology (2023-2025), Dr. Seeger has also led several scientific organizations and co-chaired the First Latin-American ISME Meeting in 2019.

National Speaker: Sara Cuadros

 We are excited to introduce Dr. Sara Cuadros as one of our national speakers at the "Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments" Symposium!

Dr. Cuadros holds a Ph.D. in Food Science from the State University of Campinas, Brazil, and is currently a full professor at the Catholic University of Maule. She is also part of the Natural Resources Biotechnology Center at the same institution. Her research focuses on microbial ecology and evolutionary genomics, particularly in extreme environments such as salt flats, acid mine drainage, and hot springs.

National Speaker: Prof Julieta Orlando

We are pleased to introduce Professor Julieta Orlando, who will be one of the national speakers at the "Microbial Frontiers" symposium!

Professor Julieta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecological Sciences at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile. She is currently the Deputy Director of the Millennium Institute for Biodiversity of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems (BASE) and the Vice President of the Chilean Society of Microbiology (SOMICH).

Her research focuses on studying the biotic and abiotic factors that determine microbial diversity and the interactions microorganisms establish with each other and with macroorganisms. Currently, her research projects are centered on the study of symbiotic interactions, such as Peltigera lichens from southern Chile, the microbiome of Antarctic marine animals, and the mycorrhizae of native trees from Central Chile.

National Speaker: Prof Jean-Baptiste Ramond

 We are pleased to announce that Dr. Jean-Baptiste Ramond, Assistant Professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, will be one of the national speakers at the "Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments" symposium! 

As the leader of the E2ME Lab, he studies microbial diversity in extreme environments such as soils and salt flats, investigating how they adapt to climate change using omics technologies and classical microbiology.

Dr. Ramond is also part of the organizing team. Don’t miss his presentation!

National Speaker: Prof Yoana Eissler

 We are excited to introduce Dr. Yoana Eissler as one of our national speakers at the “Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments” Symposium!

Professor Yoana Eissler is a Marine Biologist and holds a PhD in Oceanography from the University of Concepción, specializing in the study of viruses in extreme and marine systems. She is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Valparaíso.

Throughout her career, she has participated in various oceanographic and field campaigns, both in Chile and abroad.

Dr. Eissler conducts research in Marine Biology, Virology, and Microbiology, specifically focusing on lytic cycles associated with viruses in the Huasco salar. 

National Speaker: Prof Eduardo Castro-Nallar

 We are excited to introduce Dr. Castro-Nallar as one of our national speakers at the "Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments" Symposium!

Dr. Castro-Nallar is an Associate Professor at the University of Talca. He earned his degree in Biochemistry from the University of Santiago, Chile, and completed his PhD in Biological Sciences at George Washington University.

His research focuses on understanding how microbial communities respond to disturbances, maintain their diversity, and their role in ecosystem processes in various environments.

National Speaker: Prof Léa Cabrol

 We are excited to introduce Dr. Léa Cabrol as one of our national speakers at the “Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments” Symposium!

Dr. Léa Cabrol is a researcher at the University of Chile and the representative in Chile for the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development. As part of the Millennium Institute for Biodiversity of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems (BASE), her research focuses on microbial communities that produce and consume methane, a key greenhouse gas. Her studies are crucial for understanding methane emissions in polar regions, such as Antarctica, which are affected by global warming.

Dr. Cabrol’s current research specifically focuses on methane-producing and methane-consuming microbial communities, which play a key role in atmospheric emissions of this potent greenhouse gas, especially in high-latitude regions like the Antarctic continent that are experiencing the impacts of climate change.

National Speaker: Prof Milko Jorquera.

 We are excited to introduce Dr Milko Jorquera as one of our national speakers at the “Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments” Symposium!

Professor Milko Jorquera holds a degree in Aquaculture Engineering from the University of Antofagasta and obtained his PhD from Osaka University, Japan, with a focus on microbial ecology and environmental microbiology. He currently co-directs the Applied Microbial Ecology Laboratory (EMALAB) at the University of La Frontera in Temuco, Chile.

His research centers on studying the abundance, composition, and function of bacterial communities in various ecosystems in Chile, including both agricultural environments (grasslands, crops, gardens) and extreme habitats, such as the Atacama Desert, Patagonia, and Antarctica.

 We are excited to introduce Dr. Cecilia Demergasso as one of our national speakers at the “Microbial Frontiers: Ecology in Extreme Environments” Symposium!

Professor Cecilia Demergasso is a Full Professor at Universidad Católica del Norte in Antofagasta, Chile. She holds a degree in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Dr. Demergasso directs the Biotechnology Center at UCN and leads the Natural Laboratory Node in the Atacama Desert. Recently appointed to the Presidential Advisory Committee on Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation for Development (CTCI), her research focuses on microbial communities in extreme desert-highland-volcanic environments and on astrobiology. She also leads industrial research projects on bioleaching processes.