How to submit your abstract
1. Create a profile
To submit an abstract, you first need to create a profile.
Current ISME Members and former Members already have a profile in the abstract submission portal; the first time they visit this page, they need to opt 'Forgotten your password or first time logging in?' to access their account.
Non ISME Members can proceed with creating an account at 'Register an account'. This will not make you an ISME member, but allows you to submit your abstract as a guest.
2. Start your submission
Once you have created or are logged into your account, you can submit your abstract on the ISME20 website. Select 'Submit Abstract' on the ISME20 homepage. Choose 'Abstract Submission' and select 'submit abstract' again, and this will take you to the New Abstract Submission webpages.
3. Enter your abstract details
The 'Details' page requires you to fill out your abstract title. The maximum number of characters for your title is 200 characters, but try to keep your title shorter; a maximum of 150 characters would suffice.
The next field asks for a subtitle. You can leave this blank, or enter a subtitle of maximum 100 characters. Similarly, you can leave the Short Introduction field empty, or enter your abstract background here. This is not a required field.
Next, you 'submit' the abstract which allows your draft abstract to be accessed later. You need to 'save and continue' to proceed.
4. Select your topic
Step 2, 'Topics,' asks you for the topic you wish to submit your abstract for. The topics correspond with the sessions in the ISME20 programme. If you are uncertain for which topic you should submit your abstract, please have a look at the sessions and their descriptions.
5. Write your Abstract
In 'Sections' you can submit your abstract. Note that abstracts should be as informative as possible and structured sensibly, i.e. background and aims, methods, results and conclusion. You do not have to name each section of your abstract.
The maximum word limit of an abstract is 250 words.
6. Indicate your presentation preference and submit your grant application
On the next page, 'Attributes', there are some further questions on you and your abstract. Please fill out your preferred presentation type, oral presentation, short talk or poster presentation. Note that you may not get allocated your preferred presentation. The reviewers may deem your abstract suitable for a poster presentation, even though you want an oral presentation.
There are also questions on whether you are an Early Career Researcher or Postdoctoral Researcher. Filling out these questions allows us to consider your eligibility for our ISME Awards.
On this page, you can also submit your grant application for the ISME Travel Grant or the ISME Primary Caregiver Grant.
Please look at the instructions carefully before submitting your grant application.
You are also asked to agree with our terms and conditions of abstract submission.
7. Enter your authors
Lastly, you can enter the authors of your abstract. If you are not only the submitter, but also an author, please ensure to include yourself as well. By selecting 'Add' you can start entering your authors. Search if the authors are already known to the system by searching for their name; if not, you can add them and enter their details. Give your authors the appropriate role; 'author' indicates the main author, who will be listed first. If you are besides the main author also the presenter, please choose 'Presenting Author'. If your co-author will present, select 'Presenting Co-Author' for them.
Saving your abstract on this page means you have submitted your abstract. You will receive a confirmation e-mail, and you are guided back to your Dashboard, where you can view and edit your submissions.
Edit a submitted abstract
Submitted abstracts cannot be edited anymore.
If you need to edit, withdraw the abstract or change the presenting author, please contact us.
Important information on abstracts
Number of Abstracts
Authors cannot submit more than two abstracts and are restricted to presenting only one poster during the meeting. If you have submitted two abstracts, you can be selected for an oral or short presentation ánd a poster presentation. You cannot have an oral presentation and a short talk. If both your abstracts have been selected for poster presentation, the organization will contact you and ask the submitter to remove one poster from the program.
Registration for the conference
You do not need to register for the conference in order to submit the abstract. If you are selected for a presentation, either oral, short or poster presentation, you are required to register to attend the conference. Having your abstract accepted does not automatically mean you are registered. If you cannot present at the conference anymore, please inform us as soon as possible so we may remove your abstract from the programme.
Preferred vs. Allocated Presentation
During abstract submissions, submitters will indicate their preferred presentation type; this does not mean this type of presentation will be allocated. An abstract can be selected for Oral Presentation, Short Talk or Poster Presentation. At the review stage, the Organizing Committee has the right to change the preferred presentation type submitted by the author to ensure the continuity of the conference program i.e. oral presentation may be changed to poster presentation OR poster presentation to short presentation. The submitter has been informed of their presentation type at the acceptance notification stage. The Organizing Committee can also deem an abstract more suitable for another session than the session/topic selected by the submitter. This will also be made known to the submitter at the notification stage.
Presentation specifications
Being granted an Oral Presentation means that a 15-minute slot in the indicated session will be allocated to the submitter. A Short Talk means a presenter has five minutes and five slides to present their research. Presenters will not receive a Poster Presentation as well.
Further Oral, Short and Poster Presentation specifications will shared after the notification stage. At that point, presenters will also be informed on the time and date of their presentation.
If you have any questions, please let us know.