SOCIETY | 18 February 2026
It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Professor Yehuda Cohen, a founding figure of the International Society for Microbial Ecology and one of the architects of modern microbial ecology.
SOCIETY | 2 February 2026
ISME is looking for a motivated and flexible Events Assistant to support the organisation of ISME20. This temporary role is ideal for recent graduates seeking hands-on experience in an international setting.
SYMPOSIUM | 12 January 2026
ISME invites microbial ecologists from around the world to submit abstracts for consideration for inclusion in the ISME20 programme. If you wish to be considered for an oral presentation, short talk, or poster, please submit your abstract by 15 February.
SYMPOSIUM | 12 December 2025
Microbial ecologists are invited to propose dynamic roundtable sessions for ISME20, shaping engaging, forward-looking discussions that highlight emerging ideas and transformative advances in science.
SOCIETY | 11 December 2025
ISME-supported PhD research expands from Chile to Italy, mapping sulfur biochemical cycles of hydrothermal systems to test observed patterns in microbial energy transition in extreme environments.
SYMPOSIUM | 3 December 2025
Microbial ecology goes global at ISME20, highlighting the field’s impact worldwide. Exciting topics and scientific sessions are planned, offering attendees a chance to explore cutting-edge research.
PUBLICATIONS | 3 December 2025
Not all species are created equal – the structure of their interactions determines their impact on the ecosystem. New research reveals microbial communities stay stable even when species are removed.
ECSC | 3 December 2025
In this edition, Alena Pribyl discusses her journey from postdoc to Lead Scientist at Microba, offering insights into industry research, career transitions, and essential skills for success.
CLIMATE | 20 November 2025
The IUCN Microbial Conservation Specialist Group, the first IUCN body focused on protecting microbial life, outlines its goals, framework, and initial action plan in an ISME journal editorial.
SOCIETY | 12 November 2025
Enter the ISME photo competition for a chance to be featured on the front covers of ISME Publications or on the ISME Society promotional materials. Submit your entry by 18 November!
PUBLICATIONS | 12 November 2025
Microbial movement into soils occurs at a surprisingly local scale. By measuring dispersal rates and spatial patterns, this study challenges the assumption that microbes freely mix across environments.
PUBLICATIONS | 12 November 2025
Wastewater treatment and resource recovery are key for human and environmental health and green transition. Here, Riisgaard-Jensen et al. uncover how the underexplored sewer microbiome shapes the activated sludge communities of the systems.
PUBLICATIONS | 12 November 2025
Cable bacteria in freshwater sediments connect through brief end-to-end contact to relay electrons, unveiling a novel cooperative strategy among microbes.
PUBLICATIONS | 12 November 2025
Peptidoglycan hydrolase drives a two-step localization in interbacterial predation, representing a previously unrecognized predation mechanism.
PUBLICATIONS | 12 November 2025
Microbes can store “memories” by collectively altering their environment. These externalized “memories” impact how microbial communities assemble.
PUBLICATIONS | 12 November 2025
Acetogens colonizing the rumen have the potential to reduce methane emissions by incorporating electrons to generate acetate, offering a sustainable strategy to improve livestock energy efficiency and help combat climate change.
PUBLICATIONS | 2 October 2025
This study shows that a novel therapy for cystic fibrosis that is not an antibiotic alters the lung microbiome structure and function due to its effects on shifting microbial niche spaces.
PUBLICATIONS | 2 October 2025
Bacteria without flagella can move against fast water flow in hot springs by using pili-like grappling hooks to crawl upstream, revealing a surprising survival strategy in extreme environments.
PUBLICATIONS | 1 October 2025
GenomeFISH is a new genome-based method that overcomes key limitations of traditional FISH, enabling high-throughput, strain-level visualization of microbes directly from their genomes with greater sensitivity.
PUBLICATIONS | 1 October 2025
Amid the global soil health crisis, this study explores how habitat filtering shapes soil transplant outcomes and how synthetic communities can steer resident microbiome development for restoration.
CLIMATE | 25 September 2025
Microbiology leaders launch global Climate Change Strategy. Published across 6 leading scientific journals, the strategy charts a path to integrate microbial science into global climate solutions.
SOCIETY | 4 September 2025
ISME supports MSc/PhD graduate students and postdocs to develop academically via the Scholar Mobility Fund. Please submit your application by 1 October to study at a host institution abroad.
ECSC | 4 September 2025
Join ISME’s #UnityinDiversity 2025 Virtual Meeting on 21 October, which will elevate diverse voices in microbial ecology and affirm the importance of equity, inclusion, and global collaboration.
SYMPOSIUM | 18 August 2025
To celebrate that ISME20 is exactly one year from now, the ISME20 Local Organising Committee recreates the magic of their first video by taking you on a new adventure in the second installment.
SYMPOSIUM | 14 August 2025
We are delighted to announce the keynote speakers of ISME20, held from 16 – 21 August 2026. These eight internationally renowned microbial ecologists will each give a 45-minute presentation in Auckland, New Zealand.
PUBLICATIONS | 12 August 2025
ISME Communications is expanding its scope to include Taxonomy and Nomenclature, recognizing their essential role in microbial ecology. Latin names are more than labels—they are foundational for scientific communication, enabling the organization, retrieval, and interpretation of microbial data across studies.
PUBLICATIONS | 12 August 2025
The ISME Early Career Scientist Committee and ISME Publications are delighted to welcome 102 early career scientists to the inaugural ISME Early Career Scientist Reviewer Pool.
ECSC | 11 August 2025
ECSC | 11 August 2025
ECSC | 11 August 2025
ECSC | 11 August 2025
ECSC | 11 August 2025
ECSC | 11 August 2025
ECSC | 11 August 2025