The art and science of microbial persuasion

The vast majority of Earth’s microbial diversity remains stubbornly unculturable, representing one of microbiology’s greatest challenges and opportunities. As anyone who has tried to culture microbes knows, cultivation is part science and part art, requiring patience, innovation, and deep understanding of microbial physiology and environmental context. In this session, we bring together the latest methods to conjure microbes from assorted environments. These breakthrough methodologies are unlocking Earth’s hidden microbial treasures, transforming today’s “unculturable” into tomorrow’s model organisms through scientific ingenuity and microbial persuasion.

Convenors
Paul Carini, University of Arizona, United States
Fengping Wang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China

Invited Speakers
Paul Carini, University of Arizona, United States
Shuang-Jiang Liu, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Cameron Thrash, University of Southern California, United States
Fengping Wang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China