Marie-Thérèse Giudici-Orticoni is director of the Laboratory of Bioenergetics and Protein Engineering, director of the Mediterranean Institute of Microbiology (350 people), director of the Institute of Microbiology, Bioenergy and Biotechnology of Aix-Marseille University (10 laboratories, 14 platforms). Her group has characterized the main metabolic chains of micro-organisms, and now studying their dynamics and interactions under different conditions. She has initiated an innovative axis of ecological engineering, which consists in the microbial study of bacterial consortia involved in bioH2 production. The objective is to establish the parameters governing the metabolic networks in view of biotechnological applications. She is author of 98 publications in refereed journals, scientific coordinator for national and international programs

Ahmed G. Hegazi Prof. of Microbiology & Immunology National Research Center Egypt. He is having Work experience in African Federation of Apiculture Associations (AFAA), 2001- up till now, And also Journal of Bee keeping in Turkey (MELLIFERA), 2000 – up till now. His Awards are Excellent Medal of the First Class, 1995 and also he received the Senior Scientist Prize of National Research Center, 1996.

Microbiology ,Immunology

Professor of Animal and Fish Production, Faculty of Agriculture

Rumen Microbiology

Graduated from the Faculty of Physics, Moscow State University, Russia (Chair of Biophysics). Completed Ph.D in biophysics at Moscow State University, Russia. Worked as postdoctoral fellow at the Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of Connecticut and at the Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, USA. Currently Maria Poptsova is Associate Professor and head of the lab of bioinformatics at the Faculty of Computer Science, Big Data and Information Retrieval School, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia and Bioinformatics group leader at the Faculty of Physics (Chair of Biophysics), Moscow State University, Russia. Editor of the book “Genome Analysis: Current Procedures and Applications”, Caister Academic Press, 2014.

Research areas include development of computer program and algorithms for genome analysis and applications of machine-learning methods to Big Data of molecular biology. Main research focus is DNA secondary structures, yet uncharacterized layer of genome annotation, and their role in genome functioning

Divocha Valentina in 1967 she graduated from I. I. Mechnikov Odessa State University, Faculty of Biology (Department of Virology). In 1973 continued her postgraduate study ate Odessa Institute of Virology and Epidemiology (specialty virology). In 1974 she was awarded her candidate degree with the thesis "Interaction of Coxsackie B viruses with sensitive cell cultures and their antigenic relationships." In 2009 she was awarded her doctoral degree with the thesis entitled "Biological basis antiprotease therapy of influenza."Under her leadership performed a doctoral and two master's theses. Scientific experience is 35 years. I have more than 241 scientific publications, 3 monographs, textbook "Virology" (2012), 12 patents, 4 innovations. I am currently working as the departament biochemistry Lugansk State Medical University, is the supervisor of the nine research programs in virology and biochemistry.

Virology,Epidemiology

Ahmed G. Hegazi Prof. of Microbiology & Immunology National Research Center Egypt. He is having Work experience in African Federation of Apiculture Associations (AFAA), 2001- up till now, And also Journal of Bee keeping in Turkey (MELLIFERA), 2000 – up till now. His Awards are Excellent Medal of the First Class, 1995 and also he received the Senior Scientist Prize of National Research Center, 1996.

Microbiology ,Immunology

Dr Giulio Tarro was born on July 9,1938 in Messina, Sicily, Dr Tarro is currently engaged in scientific research related to the separation and identification of tumour antigens present on cell membranes and their potential value in immunotherapy for cancer. Dr Tarro began his medical studies at Messina University in 1956. In 1960 continued at Naples University from which he received his M.D."summa cum laude” in 1962. In 1965 he went to the Children's Hospital Research Foundation at the University of Cincinnati, where he worked with Dr Albert B. Sabin as a Research associate for three years and subsequently in 1968 and 1969 he was assistant Professor of Research Pediatrics at the same University Naples and established a virology laboratory at the Hospital for Infectious Diseases with the help of a Research Contract from the National Cancer lnstitute (U.S.A.)and the professorship for Oncological Virology in 1972. In 1973 Dr Tarro worked as Senior Scientist at the Frederick Cancer Research Center with Dr Albert Sabin, who was then a special consultant for the National Cancer lnstitute. His most notable work provided experimental evidence for the association of Herpes viruses with cancer of the cervix. Although at first controversial, this work has been carried out by several laboratories using different techniques. And has been elected for membership of many academies and societies. He has also been the recipient of many awards and honours. Dr Tarro is life president of the T. and L. de Beaumont Bonelli Foundation for Cancer Research officially recognized by Italian presidential decree n. 36 of January 3, 1978.During 1979 he was engaged in research on an epidemic disease in Naples called the "dark disease". isolated the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and found antibody evidence that this virus was behind the epidemic. Chief Division Virology (1973-2003), Head Department Diagnostic Laboratories, (2003-2006). D. Cotugno Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Naples; Emeritus, 2006 -. Since 2007 Chairman Committee of Biotechnologies and VirusSphere, World Academy Biomedical Technologies, UNESCO, Adjunct Professor Department Biology, Temple University, College of Science and Technology, Philadelphia, recipient of the Sbarro Health Research Organization lifetime achievement award (2010).

His researches have been concerned with the characterization of specific virus-induced tumour antigens, which were the "finger-prints" left behind in human cancer. Achievements include patents in field; discovery of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in infant deaths in Naples and of tumor liberated protein as a tumor associated antigen, 55 kilodalton protein overexpressed in lung tumors and other epithelial adenocarcinomas.

Elsayed Aboulmagd, Alaa Abouelftouh and Aisha Torky Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

Microbiology and Immunology

Byungjoo Lee has completed his PhD from Chungnam University and he is an agricultural researcher in Crop Research Division, Chuncheongnam-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services in South Korea for about 20 years and has his expertise in breeding new mushroom cultivars. Recently he is involved in environmental friendly disease and pest management, particularly against mushroom flies. He investigates the occurrence and development of sciarid flies and the use of plant extracts such as Ginko biloba fruits to control mushroom flies in button mushroom cultivation.

Agricultural Research

G. González-Rocha has completed his PhD in Biological Sciences from Universidad de Concepción, Chile in 2002. He is a Full Professor at Universidad de Concepción, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences. He has published more than 70 papers in peer reviewed journals, mainly related to antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria.

Interest in Microbiology department

Joachim Wink has completed his Ph.D in 1985 from Frankfurt University. He then went to the pharmaceutical industry and started his career at the Hoechst AG where he was responsible for the strain collection and specialized in the cultivation and taxonomic characterization of Actinobacteria and Myxobacteria. During the years he was responsible for the strain library within the pharmaceutical research and a number of screening projects with Hoechst Marion Russel, Aventis and Sanofi. In the year 2005 he did his habilitation at the Carolo Wilhelma University of Braunschweig and 2012 he went to the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig where he founded the working group of the strain collection with its focus on Myxobacteria. Here he is now working on the isolation and taxonomic characterization of Myxobacteria and Actinobacteria as well as the analysis of their secondary metabolites with a focus on the antibiotics active ones. The Compendium of Actinobacteria on the homepage of the German Culture Collection is a permanent actualized working tool for people working with Actinobacteria which is prepared by him. He has published more than 50 papers on secondary metabolites and the taxonomy of the producing microorganisms in reputed journals, a number of reviews as well as book chapters and more than 35 patents. He is member of the editorial board of a number of international journals.

Dr Wink is working on the isolation and taxonomic characterization of Myxobacteria and Actinobacteria as well as the analysis of their secondary metabolites with a focus on the antibiotics active ones

Dr. Cesira Giordano, Professor of biology at the University of Pisa, Itally. Has more years’ experience in academic and research institutions in Itally and internationally and has several active collaborative project. Interest in bacterial cultures, bacterial ID, MALDI-TOF, MDR, rapid blood cultures, sepsi department.

Department of biology

Maurizio Provenzano graduated as MD from La Sapienza University of Rome and obtained his specialization in Medical Oncology at the University of Milan and his PhD in Virology at the University of Padua. He is a tenured investigator in the position of the Head of Research at the Department of Urology, University Hospital of Zurich and Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich. Since 2007 he has been member of the Cancer Network of Zurich. He has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications incl. reviews, book chapters and conference papers, many of which in highly qualified scientific periodicals and has been serving as an editorial board member of reputed journals. He has been recipient of professional awards and prizes for the contribution to the field of viral oncology and onco-immunology.

viral oncology and onco-immunology

Professor (Microbiology) in Department of Microbiology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Have more than 12 years of teaching and research experience in the field of Microbiology. Research interests are: Microbial Diversity, Extremophiles (e.g. Psychrophiles, Halophilic psychrophiles, magnetotactic, endoliths, oligotrophs), Microbial enzymes, Antibacterial compounds, Glaciology, Biospeleology, Astrobiology, Biodegradation of synthetic polymers.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Biodegradation of synthetic polymers, Microbial enzymes (Lipases, esterases, depolymerases), Extremophiles (Psychrophiles, alophiles, Archaea) and Methanotrophs, Microbial diversity, Geomicrobiology, Glaciology Speleology Astrobiology Metagenomics Biofilms

Dr. Armen B. Avagyan, Professor of biology at the Research and Industry Center of Photosynthesizing Organisms,Armenia.Has more years’ experience in academic and research institutions in Armenia. and internationally and has several active collaborative project. Interest in Delayed Fluorescence of chlorophyll, Virus , Phonological Stage , Yield clone selection , Virus-free planting potato.

Delayed Fluorescence of chlorophyll, Virus , Phonological Stage , Yield clone selection , Virus-free planting potato.

Dr. Abhishek Chauhan, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist at Amity Institute of Environmental Toxicology, Safety and Management, Amity University, Noida, UP, India and formerly worked as a Scientist ‘C’ and Head, Department of Microbiology, Shriram Institute for Industrial Research (SRI), Delhi, India. While working at SRI, he has developed and validated several methods related to Food Microbiology, Water Microbiology, Drugs and pharmaceutical microbiology. Dr. Chauhan has participated in 35th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica, a scientific venture of Ministry of Earth Science, Govt. of India. He is known for his analytical and research mind-set and supervised approximately more than 25 Industry sponsored projects. He has a total 12 years of rich experience and done extensive research on emerging issues of Environmental Microbiology, Bioactive compounds and Biodiversity. He has authored a research book on key aspects of “Antibacterial Activity of Cyanobacteria” and Edited a book entitled Plants and Microbes: An Innovative approach. He has been a reviewer for many peer reviewed journals and published more than 35 research papers and honored with ‘Young Scientist Award’ 2013. Selected for national campaign on microbiological and physico-chemical analysis of river Ganga in association with Channel ABP News. Received “First Position Award” for his presentation during 11th foundation training course for Scientists and Technologist conducted by Indian Institute of Public Administration, Delhi and sponsored by Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. Dr. Chauhan has also received “Appreciation Award” for his outstanding contribution in Organizing 36th Annual Conference of Society of Toxicology (India). He is an active member of the Indian Science Congress Association, Society for Plant Research and Association of Microbiologists of India.

Environmental Toxicology

Recanati Family Professor of Science, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Molecular Pathogenesis. Departments of Microbiology and Medicine

Departments of Microbiology and Medicine

Dr hab. Lidia Sas Paszt , Associate Professor Department of Microbiology Institute of Horticulture Pomologiczna 18 96-100 Skierniewice Poland

Department of Microbiology

Dr. Burton M. Altura is currently working as a Professor of Physiology, Pharmacology & Medicine State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. He completed his PhD from Newyork University School of Medicine. He published many articles. Dr. Burton M. Altura studies address the two most important issues in vascular biology today: stroke mechanisms; and irreversible cellular destruction in the cardiovascular system caused by alcohol and substance abuse. These studies have already led to the prevention of atherosclerotic lesions, hypertension and stroke-like events in experimental animal models.

Dr. Burton M. Altura‘s research interests include: Physiology, Vagal Maneuvers, Pharmacology, Medicine.

Sophia Boudjema is currently working at Aix Marseille University, Infectious Disease Unit North Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, France. She has published numerous research papers and articles in reputed journals and has various other achievements in the related studies. She has extended his/her valuable service towards the scientific community with her extensive research work.

Polynesia with molecular tools,Healthcare worker; Behavior; Healthcare practices; Isolation precautions.

Dr. Horng-Dar Wang is a full Professor and the Director of Institute of Biotechnology, and an adjunct Professor of the Institute of Systems Neuroscience at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. He received his PhD with honor in 1997 and worked as a postdoctoral fellow from 1997 to 1999 in Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology at University of Southern California, and as a postdoctoral scholar from 1999 to 2004 in Division of Biology at California Institute of Technology. He was an Assistant Professor in 2004, an Associate Professor in 2009, and promoted as a full Professor in 2015 in the Institute of Biotechnology at National Tsing Hua University.

Dr. Horng-Dar Wang’s research interest focuses on anti-aging research and applies his novel discoveries into anti-cancer and anti-neurodegeneration research.

María Esther Orozco Orozco is a Mexican biologist, researcher and politician. She has received the UNESCO/Institut Pasteur Medal, the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science

Cell Biology

Prof. Harish Padh obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from University of Delhi. For 17 years, he has developed his academic career in USA at places like Temple University, University of Chicago, and Northwestern University. In 1996 he joined as Professor of Biochemistry at M. S. University of Baroda and then he joined as Director of B. V. Patel Pharmaceutical Education and Research Development (PERD) Centre in Ahmedabad. He joined Sardar Patel University as Vice-Chancellor in July 2010 and continued as VC in his second term ended on July 31, 2016.

His area of research is Cell and Molecular Biology as applied to Health and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

He has received the PhD in University of Gezira, Dept of Biochemistry in the year 2007. He has around 7 years of experience in the teaching field under the specialization of Biochemistry. He is rendering his service as the Chief of the committee of undergraduate & research laboratories from April 2014 till now. He underwent a Training Course On Malaria Prevention & Control, THAILAND, BANGKOK, March 2006.

He focuses on the advanced research in the field of Biochemistry and Microbiology.

Dr. Brennan began his life-long involvement in tuberculosis and leprosy research in 1962 under Professor Frank Winder at Trinity College Dublin. His Ph.D. studies helped establish for the first time that the killing effect of isoniazid on the tuberculosis (TB) bacillus was through inhibition of the synthesis of mycolic acid. Under Professor Clinton Ballou at the University of California, Berkeley, he was responsible for the early definitive work on the biosynthesis of the phosphatidylisositolmannosides (PIMs) of mycobacteria. On his return to Ireland, Dr. Brennan was Research Lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, Trinity College Dublin, and subsequently Lecturer in Biochemistry at University College Dublin. Dr. Brennan returned to the U.S. in 1975, to positions at National Jewish Hospital and the University of Colorado Medical Center, and in 1980 to Colorado State University. Over the past 35 years, he has led research teams in conducting some of the most fundamental research on the nature of the tuberculosis and leprosy organisms: (i) definition of the structure, biosynthesis, and genetics of the core cell wall of the TB bacterium and the mode of action of several key TB drugs; (ii) discovery and molecular definition of LAM, the key ligand in the interactions of the TB organism with host cells; (iii) the discovery and molecular structure of PGL I (phenolic glycolipid I), the specific antigen/marker of the leprosy organism and its application to the selective diagnosis of leprosy; (iv) the introduction of the first skin test antigen for leprosy diagnosis for a leprosy endemic area; (v) definition of the chemical basis of the serotype difference of most of the non-tuberculosis mycobacteria. Brennan has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications in these and related areas. He has attracted over $20 million in research funds to the University. In 1998, he was named one of 12 University Distinguished Professors at Colorado State University and in 2004 he was elected to the American Academy of Microbiology. He is Editor-in-Chief of Tuberculosis and an editor of Pathogens and Disease and a former editor of Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Tuberculosis and Leprosy research

Ananda M. Chakrabarty, Ph.D., is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago. While working at the Research & Development Center at General Electric Company in Schenectady, New York, he was awarded the ‘Scientist of the Year’ award in 1975 by Industrial Research Organization of the United States. This work led to the development of a genetically-manipulated microorganism that was the subject matter of a landmark decision from the Supreme Court of the United States that genetically engineered life forms are patentable. Dr. Chakrabarty has served as a consultant with the United Nations and was the founding member of a UNIDO Committee that proposed the establishment of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (ICGEB) based in Trieste, Italy, New Delhi, India, and Cape Town, South Africa. Dr. Chakrabarty has been a member of the Panel of Scientific Advisors, later called Council of Scientific Advisors, of ICGEB since its very inception. Dr. Chakrabarty has also been a member of the International Advisory Board of Chulabhorn Research Institute in Thailand, which is headed by the Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand, and a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India. He has received many awards, including the Distinguished Scientist Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), MERIT Award from NIH, U.S. Army Distinguished Service Award, Pasteur Award, Inventor of the Year Award, American Chemical Society Public Affairs Award, Procter and Gamble Environmental Biotechnology Award, European Union Eurydice Award given in Brussels in 2007, among others. He served the U.S. Govt. as members of various NIH study sections, member of the Board on Biology of the U. S. National Academy of Science, Committee on Biotechnology of the U.S. National Research Council, The Stockholm Environment Institute of Sweden, and on the Scientific Advisory Boards of many academic institutions such as Michigan Biotechnology Institute, Montana State University Center for Biofilm Research, Center for Microbial Ecology at the Michigan State University, and in Canada as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network based in Calgary, Canada. Dr. Chakrabarty also served NATO as a member of NIAG, NATO Industrial Advisory Group based in Brussels, Belgium. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Einstein Institute for Science, Health and the Courts, where he participated in judicial meetings involving contentious scientific issues. He was also involved in international judicial working conversations, where he served as a Scientific Advisor for meetings in Hawaii and Ottawa, Canada, organized by the Supreme Court of Canada. Dr. Chakrabarty’s current research involves development of anticancer and anti-retroviral agents from microbial sources. As part of CDG Therapeutics Inc. (www.cdgti.com) , he has developed candidate anticancer drugs such as azurin that can act on both the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the AIDS virus HIV-1 to combat co-infection, as well as drug candidates that can be used for the potential treatment of many forms of cancer including brain tumors. A chemically-synthesized 28 amino acid peptide derived from azurin, termed p28, has shown very little toxicity in 15 advanced stage cancer patients but significant beneficial effect, including partial and complete regression of tumors that were refractory to conventional drugs, in phase I human clinical trials in Chicago. He has also developed similar candidate anticancer drugs as part of an Indian company Amrita Therapeutics (www.amritatherapeutics.com). He was awarded the civilian Padma Shri award by the Government of India in 2007.

Dr. Chakrabarty’s current research involves development of anticancer and anti-retroviral agents from microbial sources. As part of CDG Therapeutics Inc. (www.cdgti.com) , he has developed candidate anticancer drugs such as azurin that can act on both the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the AIDS virus HIV-1 to combat co-infection, as well as drug candidates that can be used for the potential treatment of many forms of cancer including brain tumors. A chemically-synthesized 28 amino acid peptide derived from azurin, termed p28, has shown very little toxicity in 15 advanced stage cancer patients but significant beneficial effect, including partial and complete regression of tumors that were refractory to conventional drugs, in phase I human clinical trials in Chicago. He has also developed similar candidate anticancer drugs as part of an Indian company Amrita Therapeutics (www.amritatherapeutics.com). He was awarded the civilian Padma Shri award by the Government of India in 2007.

Professor S. Louise Cosby is a graduate (B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Microbiology) of Queen’s University Belfast and was a member of staff for over 30 years. She held the post of Chair of Microbiology in the School of Medicine Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences from 2002 to 2015. She is currently Head of Virology Branch at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Belfast and emeritus Professor at Queen's University Belfast. Professor Cosby is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (London) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (UK). She was a visiting Associate Professor in Cornell University USA and is an occasional visiting scientist at the Pirbright Institute, UK. Previous/present board membership: BBSRC, UK; Science Foundation Ireland (chair of Bioscience panel); Infections and Immunity and Host Defence Panel, Health Research Board, Ireland; Professional Development Committee of the Microbiology Society, Learned Societies Parliamentary Committee, Northern Ireland; British Society for Immunology (Regional and Affinity Group and Forum member) Infection and Immunity Translational Research Group Northern Ireland; Gerson Lerman’s Group’s Healthcare Advisor’s Board, USA. Editor positions: Associate Editor for the Journal of Neurovirology; Review Editor for Frontiers in Microbiology; Assessor roles: appointments and promotions in Medical Microbiology, University of Malaysia; reviewer of applications for the European Commission.

Work has focused on paramyxoviruses of both human and veterinary interest and has included elucidation of pathogenic mechanisms of measles virus (MV), the closely related veterinary morbilliviruses and more recently respiratory syncytial virus. Major interests are in the interaction of viruses with cell receptors as major determinants of virus host range, tissue tropism and induction of disease. This includes investigations into morbillivirus cell entry receptors and interaction of respiratory viruses with transcient potential and acid sensing receptors of bronchial epithelium and peripheral nerves. Recent interests are also in new approaches to human and veterinary vaccines and diagnostics.

For his PhD Prof. Ryan cloned and sequenced Enterovirus Type 70 (EV70) at Leicester University – the first enterovirus genome sequence published after poliovirus. He then went on to work on another animal picornavirus, Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) at the Pirbright Institute. There he produced the first complete map of FMDV polyprotein processing, the first test to differentiate between infected and vaccinated animals, and characterized the activity of the FMDV 2A oligopeptide sequences (just 18aa) in FMDV polyprotein processing. After his move to the University of St Andrews in 1994, he continued to work on FMDV 2A - but using artificial ‘reporter’ polyprotein systems. Using such systems he showed that 2A was not a novel form of single turn-over proteolytic element, but brought about a translational ‘recoding’ event (ribosome ‘skipping / StopGo translation / stop carry-on translation). His laboratory went on to identify a range of (picornavirus and non-picornavirus) ‘2A-like’ sequences which have been used extensively in biomedicine and biotechnology. More recently, his laboratory has performed research on cellular 2A-like sequences found within non-LTR retrotransposons and NOD-like receptors proteins. Latterly, the research emphasis has moved over to development of new animal virus vaccines based upon modification of codon usage to increase CpG and UpA dinucleotide frequencies and the development of FMDV ‘replicon’ genomic forms for use in attenuated vaccine development.

Development of new animal virus vaccines and the development of FMDV ‘replicon’ genomic forms for use in attenuated vaccine development.

Professor Ibrahim M. Banat, Professor of Microbial Biotechnology at the University of Ulster, UK. Has more than 30 years’ experience in academic and research institutions in Europe and internationally and has several active collaborative project within the EU and other international academic and industrial establishments.

Research interests include biosurfactants and bio-actives production and potential utilization in environmental oil pollution control and hydrocarbon polluted land bioremediation and microbial enhanced oil recovery. He also recently concentrating on investigating biomedical, pharmaceutical, health and cosmetics related applications of biosurfactants. Prof. Banat also has interest and worked on molecular and cell biology of thermophilic Geobacilli bacteria and bioethanol fermentation and the molecular biology of biosurfactant producers.

Joachim Wink has completed his Ph.D in 1985 from Frankfurt University. He then went to the pharmaceutical industry and started his career at the Hoechst AG where he was responsible for the strain collection and specialized in the cultivation and taxonomic characterization of Actinobacteria and Myxobacteria. During the years he was responsible for the strain library within the pharmaceutical research and a number of screening projects with Hoechst Marion Russel, Aventis and Sanofi. In the year 2005 he did his habilitation at the Carolo Wilhelma University of Braunschweig and 2012 he went to the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig where he founded the working group of the strain collection with its focus on Myxobacteria. Here he is now working on the isolation and taxonomic characterization of Myxobacteria and Actinobacteria as well as the analysis of their secondary metabolites with a focus on the antibiotics active ones. The Compendium of Actinobacteria on the homepage of the German Culture Collection is a permanent actualized working tool for people working with Actinobacteria which is prepared by him. He has published more than 50 papers on secondary metabolites and the taxonomy of the producing microorganisms in reputed journals, a number of reviews as well as book chapters and more than 35 patents. He is member of the editorial board of a number of international journals.

Dr Wink is working on the isolation and taxonomic characterization of Myxobacteria and Actinobacteria as well as the analysis of their secondary metabolites with a focus on the antibiotics active ones

Giulio Tarro graduated from Medicine School, Naples University (1962). Research Associate, Division of Virology and Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital (1965-1968), Assistant Professor of Research Pediatrics, College Medicine (1968-1969), Cincinnati University, Ohio. Oncological Virology Professor, Naples University (1972-1985). Chief Division Virology (1973-2003), Head Department Diagnostic Laboratories, (2003-2006). D. Cotugno Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Naples; Emeritus, 2006 -. Since 2007 Chairman Committee of Biotechnologies and VirusSphere, World Academy Biomedical Technologies, UNESCO, Adjunct Professor Department Biology, Temple University, College of Science and Technology, Philadelphia, recipient of the Sbarro Health Research Organization lifetime achievement award (2010). President Foundation de Beaumont Bonelli for Cancer Research. His basic research has been concerned with antigens induced early during the replication cycle of human herpesviruses. Another study has involved the identification, isolation, and characterization of specific virus-induced tumour antigens, which were the "fingerprints" left behind in human cancer. Achievements include patents in the field; the discovery of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in infant deaths in Naples and of tumor liberated protein as a tumor associated antigen, 55 kilodalton protein overexpressed in lung tumors and other epithelial adenocarcinomas.

Virology and Cancer Research

Petra Dersch graduated in Biology at the University of Konstanz. She continued her studies of Microbiology at the University of Konstanz and the Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology Marburg and finished her PhD in 1995. After that, she worked as a postdoc in the laboratory of Dr. Ralph Isberg at the Tufts Medical School/Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Boston/USA. In 1998, back in Germany, she started as a Research Assistant with her own group at the Freie Universität Berlin. From 2003 - 2005, Petra Dersch was Junior Research Group Leader at the Robert Koch Institute Berlin. In 2005, she was appointed at the Technische Universität Braunschweig as Associate Professor in microbiology. Since 2008, Petra Dersch is Head of the Department of Molecular Infection Biology at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig and holds a co-appointment as full professor in microbiology and infection biology at the Technische Universität Braunschweig. Petra Dersch is member of various boards, since 2012 she is elected member of the study section „Microbiology, Virology and Immunology“ of the German Research Foundation. She is member of the Central Commission for Biological Safety of the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety Germany. Since 2016 she is one of the Vice Presidents of the DGHM (German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology). In 2013 Petra Dersch was awarded the Main Prize of the DGHM. Her main research field is molecular pathogenesis of enteric bacterial pathogens. She published more than 90 original papers in peer-reviewed international journals, reviews and book chapters.

Her main research field is molecular pathogenesis of enteric bacterial pathogens.

Strategic and creative development manager in biomedical science, who works internationally for several medical and biotech companies as a scientific advisory board member. He is also an active reserve-officer of the Royal Dutch Navy in his rank as Commander (OF4). For the Dutch Armed Forces he is CBRNe specialist with a focus on (micro)biological and chemical threats. He is also manager of the group of medical- and environmental functional specialist within the 1st CMI (Civil-Military Interaction) Battalion of the Dutch Armed Forces. In his civilian position, he is at this moment developing with MT-Derm in Berlin (Germany) a novel intradermal vaccination technology as well as a new therapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis for which he has won a Canadian ‘Grand Challenge’ grant. With Hemanua in Dublin (Ireland) he has developed an innovative blood separation unit, which is also suitable to produce convalescent plasma for Ebola Virus Disease therapy. He has finished both his studies in Medicine and in Biochemistry in The Netherlands with a doctorate and has extensive practical experience in cell biology, immuno-haematology, infectious diseases, biodefense, and transfusion medicine. His natural business acumen and negotiation competence help to initiate new successful businesses, often generated from unexpected combinations of technologies. He consults at top level management, in which his good understanding of abstract science combined with excellent skills in communication of scientific matters to non-specialists helps to get things done.

cell biology, immuno-haematology, infectious diseases, biodefense, and transfusion medicine

Maurizio Provenzano graduated as MD from La Sapienza University of Rome and obtained his specialization in Medical Oncology at the University of Milan and his PhD in Virology at the University of Padua. He is a tenured investigator in the position of the Head of Research at the Department of Urology, University Hospital of Zurich and Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich. Since 2007 he has been member of the Cancer Network of Zurich. He has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications incl. reviews, book chapters and conference papers, many of which in highly qualified scientific periodicals and has been serving as an editorial board member of reputed journals. He has been recipient of professional awards and prizes for the contribution to the field of viral oncology and onco-immunology.

viral oncology and onco-immunology

Alastair Fleming studied Microbiology at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, where he also obtained his PhD with a thesis on industrial extracellular enzyme synthesis from sporulation-deficient strains of Bacillus licheniformis. He subsequently joined Prof. Mary Ann Osley’s lab at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, USA, where he investigated the epigenetic regulation of DNA damage repair and transcription in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. He is now Assistant Professor in the School of Microbiology and Genetics at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, where he is the PI of the Yeast Chromatin Group. Dr Fleming’s research group focuses on the role of ‘chromatin remodelling’ during gene transcription in yeast. Current research areas include the investigation of; (i) the epigenetic signature associated with cellular aging, (ii) the epigenetic regulation of transcription initiation, (iii) the epigenetic memory during transcription elongation and (iv), the chromatin-mediated regulation of flocculation within yeast cell populations.

Yeast chromatin and epigenetic regulation of transcription.

Head of Microbiology Laboratory& Medicine Residency Coordinator, supervisor PhD in Medicine and also a member of the leadership of in ESC, ESGP & ESCMID. Prof Monica is also a member of the editorial staff / reviewer of national and international journals. She has been awarded with a honorary diploma by the National Society of Parasitology. She is a visiting professor of the Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Parasitology, Infection Control, Microbiology

Euverink (1966) holds a position as full professor and is head of the research group “Products and processes for Biotechnology”. He is embedded in the “Engineering and Technology institute Groningen”, at the University of Groningen. From 2004 until 2011 he was program director of Wetsus, European Center of Sustainable Watertechnology in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. From 1998 until 2004 he started and managed successfully BioExplore, a high throughput screening facility at the department of Microbial Physiology of the Groningen Biomolecular and Biotechnology institute. From 1994 until 1998 he was a post-doc at the Dutch Institute for Carbohydate Research and developed a novel process for the synthesis of a thermoreversible starch derivative. This product is currently produced by Avebe under the brandname Etenia. Euverink received his PhD in microbiology at the University of Groningen in 1995 based upon a study of phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism in the methylotrophic actinomycete Amycolatopsis methanolica.

Biotechnology, Microbiology, separation technology, Water Technology, high throughput screening, Biochemistry, Enzymology

Prof. Angela Cunha is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department of the University of Aveiro, Portugal and a researcher at the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies. She has been involved in lecturing graduate and post graduate courses in the fields of Microbiology and Genetics and is currently the Director of the Bachelor Course in Biology. Her main research field is the distribution and activity of microorganisms in the environment, the contribution of bacteria to biogeochemical cycles and the interactions between microorganisms and plants in the perspectives of bioremediation and plant growth promotion.

Oil-degrading microorganisms and microbe-enhanced phytoremediation; Plant-bacteria interactions and rhizosphere microbiology; Biosurfactant-producing bacteria and other bacterial bioactive compounds; Photodynamic inactivation of microorganisms in environmental matrices; Control of environmental biofilms.

Dr Nikos Mavroudis is a Senior Lecturer in Food Science and Programme Leader in Food and Nutritional Sciences. He joined Northumbria University in June 2010 after nine years successful career in Unilever R&D. In collaboration with Unilever R&D, Nikos has also proposed and subsequently was awarded an individual Marie Curie Post-Doc fellowship on factors affecting nutrient release.

Nikos is building and leading the research activities in the field of Food Engineering and Separation of Functional Actives

PhD in Microbiology and Virology, with an high specialization in Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Arnolfo Petruzziello was born in Naples, Italy, where actually works as Head of the Laboratory of Virology and Molecular Biology “V. Tridente” at National Cancer Research IRCCS Italia- Fondazione “G. Pascale” in Naples. Professor of Microbiology, General Pathology and Clinical Microbiology for the University of Naples “Federico II”, he is also Quality Assurance Manager in the JACIE program for the autologous transplantation program of the Department of Haemathology and OECI (Organization of European Cancer Institutes) auditors. He is author of numerous scientific publications and member of the Editorial Board of several prestigious scientific Journals in Virology and Microbiology.

His fields of interests are mainly Virology and Molecular Biology, with particular reference to PCR for the diagnosis of HBV, HCV, HIV infections and EBV, HSV and CMV co-infections in the context of the transplantation program.

Dr. Bożena Futoma-Kołoch graduated from University of Wrocław in 2004. She received her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Wrocław in 2008. After that, she has held an academic position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology in the Institute of Genetics and Microbiology at University of Wrocław. She is a member of Polish Society of Microbiologists, and International Complement Society. She has published more than 50 papers in national and international journals, 30 presentations at congresses, with several awards. Dr. Futoma-Kołoch's research program focuses on bacterial surface antigens as molecular targets of the protective immune response and their role in bacterial resistance to disinfectants.

Bacterial surface antigens as molecular targets of the protective immune response and their role in bacterial resistance to disinfectants.

Dr. Amparo Gamero Lluna works as Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Bromatology area at the University of Valencia, Spain. She holds an European Ph.D in Food Science, Technology & Management as well as Human Nutrition & Dietetics and Food Science & Technology degrees. Her main research topic is the study of aroma production by yeasts in food products, especially alcoholic beverages. The yeasts studied are Saccharomyces species, their natural interspecific hybrids and non-conventional yeasts. Her research interests reflect in her wide range of publications in international journals and her participation in congresses at international level. She has worked and carrying out short stays at different universities, research centers and companies of different European countries: Spain (Spanish National Research Council, CSIC; University of Valencia; University of Zaragoza; AINIA technology centre), The Netherlands (NIZO food research; Fungal Biodiversity Center, CBS-KNAW), Denmark (University of Copenhagen; Carlsberg Research Center; Christian Hansen) and Belgium (University of Leuven).

Study of aroma production by yeasts in food products

Bergman completed a PhD at MIT and postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan Medical School and The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR). He is currently the head of the Genomics Department at NBFAC. He has published more than 45 papers in reputed journals and serves on numerous advisory and editorial boards.

Bioforensic

Aneta Nitsch-Osuch, MD, PhD, Assoc. Prof. – a specialist in pediatrics, epidemiology and public health, the head of the Department of Social Medicine and Public Helath, Medical University of Warsaw (Poland). The senior consultant and the head of infection control team at the St Family Hospital in Warsaw. The member of the Polish Family Medicine Society, Polish Society of Pediatricians, Polish Society of Epidemiologists, Central Eastern European Pertussis Awareness Group. The member of the Scientific Board of the National Programme for Influenza Prevention and the member of the National Epidemiology and Bioterrorism Committee. The author of over 200 scientific publications in the field of epidemiology, vaccinology, public health.

The area of interests includes: pertussis as re-emerging disease (epidemiology and prophylaxis), influenza as a problem of public health (epidemiology and prophylaxis), vaccine hesitacy problem, hospital infection control issues, nosocomial infections (epidemiology and prevention), hospital antibiotic policies.

Goletti provides outpatient activity at the UOC of Pneumology directed by Dr. Francesco Nicola Lauria (Padiglione Pontano, ground floor). In this context her primary activity is to follow the patients with tuberculous infection or disease.

Tuberculous Infection

Professor Michel Wolff, head of the medical and infectious resuscitation department of the Bichat-Claude Bernard AP-HP hospital

Influenza

Bruno Pozzetto is head of Mucosal Immunity and Pathogen Agent Group

-Mucosal infection and immunity (notably HIV and Staphylococcus aureus) -CMV and MICI -Care-associated viral and bacterial infections -Molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases

Thierry Naas is part of

Expertise of Enterobacteriaceae Strains

After spending some years as formal employee of Federal Government Laboratories in Canada Kamaleldin Said has moved to McGill University in Montreal where he completed his PhD in molecular microbiology and genomics. He then continued at McGill to work on projects involving molecular typing and comparative genomic hybridizations of pathogens shortly before accepting a contract position at Qassim University, College of Pharmacy as assistant professor. He has published significangly on the development and validation of molecular markers for host- and organ-specific strain typing as well as genome-wide expression profilings for vaccine and therapetuic gene candidates. He is now a visiting scholar at Systems Biology, Carleton University and has many projects underway and many manuscripts ready for publicaton.

vaccines

Amaresh Das had completed his PhD from Calcutta University, India and did postdoctoral researchat the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia. Currently, he works as a microbiologist in the Reagents and Vaccines Services Section, Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, NVSL, STAS, VS, APHIS, USDA, Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Orient Point, New York. He has published more than 20scientific papers in reputed peer reviewed journals and wrote several chapters in books and proceedings. He also serves as reviewerfor many reputed peer reviewed journals

Vaccines

Iolanda Francolini has obtained a degree in Industrial Chemistry in 2000 from the Sapienza University of Rome. In 2003, she was a visiting scientist at the Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana, USA. In 2005, she obtained a Ph.D. degree in Chemical and Industrial Processes at the Sapienza University of Rome. She currently serves as a Lecturer in the Science and Technologies of Polymers at the Sapienza University of Rome and performs research on antimicrobial polymers. She has published more than 45 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member for International Journal of Molecular Science.

Biofilms

Joziana Muniz de Paiva Barçante has completed her PhD at the age of 27 years from Federal University of Minas Gerais and postdoctoral studies also from Federal University of Minas Gerais. She is the president of Brazilian Symposium of Neglected Disease and Chief of Staff of Federal University of Lavras. She has published more than 35 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.

Microbiology

J. Bishara has completed his MD at the age of 26 years from The First Pavlov Medical Institute of Leningrad, Leningrad, Russia. He is the director of Infectious Disease Unit at Rabin Medical Center; Beilinson Hospital, Petah-Tiqva, Israel, a Clinical Full Professor of Medicine at Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. He has published more than 108 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as a reviewer of several prestigious journals in the field of infectious diseases.

Infectious diseases.

Neveen Saleh has completed her PhD at age of 34 years from Ain Shams University and has got postdoctoral studies from Massachusetts, Amherst (UMASS) University in Nanotechnology, Chemistry department. She is now amicrobiological researcher in National organization for drug control and research. She has published more than 10 papers in reputed journals.

Antibiotics

Dr. Sandle is a tutor with the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester and is Head of Microbiology at Bio Products Laboratory. In addition, Dr. Sandle serves on several national and international committees relating to pharmaceutical microbiology and cleanroom contamination control. He is a committee member of the Pharmaceutical Microbiology Interest Group (Pharmig).

Pharmaceutical Microbiology

Daniel founded BioOutsource in 2007 with a team which included some former colleagues from Q-One Biotech. As Chief Scientist he has developed a successful team which is now seen as one of the leading providers for bioanalytical services globally and has gained a reputation for successful contract research in the biosimilar industry.. He has also held senior positions in the fields of contract research (BioReliance Europe) and manufacturing (MedImmune). Daniel has a keen interest in Biosimilars and from his time with MedImmune working on the FluMist project he has retained an interest in virus vaccines.

Biosimilars, Monoclonal Antibodies and Virus Vaccines

Professor Gregory Gregoriadis is the Founder (1997) of Xenetic Biosciences Inc, the creator of the company's PolyXen (polysialic acid) and ImuXen (liposome) technologies and a SAB member. He served as a Board member, Director and CSO (1997-2015). He was Head of the Centre for Drug Delivery Research(1990-2001) at University College London, and Head of the Liposomes Group at the Medical Research Council (1972-1990). In 1971 he introduced(with B. Ryman) liposomes for drug and vaccine delivery, and in 1991 introduced polysialic acid to improve the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of protein and peptide drugs. He has published nearly 400 research papers, reviews and articles, and 27 books on drug and vaccine delivery. Gregory's achievements have been honoured with the Controlled Release Society Founders Award (1994), the A.D. Bangham FRS Life Achievement Award (1995), a Fellowship in the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (1998), a Fellowship in the Controlled Release Society(2013), a DSc from the University of London (2001), a Journal of Drug Targeting Life Achievement Award (2008), a Fellowship in the Academy of Pharmaceutical Scientists (2008), and the Founders Award of Liposome Research Days (2010), all for exceptional contributions to the field of drug and vaccine delivery. Gregory's seminal contributions are also reflected in his founding (1978) of the Gordon Research Conference series 'Drug Carriers in Medicine and Biology', his directorships of the NATO Advanced Studies Institute series 'Drug Targeting' and 'Vaccines' (1981-1999), his founding of the 'Liposome Advances' conference series (1991-2013), and his position of Professor Emeritus at University College London. He is in charge of the International Liposome Society(since 2003).

Drug Delivery Research

Urszula Kosikowska (PhD) is a pharmacist, specialist in medical microbiology. She is a lecturer in the Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology with Laboratory for Microbiological Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, Poland. She has published scientific publications in reputed journals, as well as a monography, popular articles and conference reports. Her research interests include issues of respiratory microbiota, diagnostics and drug resistance of bacteria and antimicrobial activity of newly synthesized compounds on planktonic and biofilm-forming cells mainly of the genus Haemophilus and other selected members of the family Pasteurellaceae.

Medical Microbiology

Graduated in Pharmacy and Biochemistry at the Federal University of Paraná (1992) and did a master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Federal University of Paraná (2001). Conclude its PhD in Health Sciences at PUCPR in 2015. He is currently associate professor of the Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, where he coordinates since 1997 the Specialization Course in Microbiology and from 2009 to 2010 coordinated the Specialization Course in Clinical Analysis. Since 2012 also operates in PUC Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation. He is a pharmacist at the Molecular Bacteriology Sector of LACEN-PR, consultant at a large reference clinical lab. DB (Diagnóstico do Brasil) Division of Microbiology. He is formerly Director of the Central Laboratory of the State of Paraná, 2003-2010; past President of the Brazilian Society of Clinical Analysis- Paraná, for 4 years (2004-2008). Coordinated the Specialization in Clinical Laboratory Management. It has expertise in bacteriology and Specialist in Clinical Analysis and participates as a reviewer of the journals: Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases, Brazilian Journal of Microbiology and Journal of Clinical Microbiology. He has experience in the following subjects: Clinical Analysis and Management Laboratory, focusing on Clinical Microbiology and Public Health, acting on the following topics: laboratory and microbiological diagnosis; bacterial resistance, molecular epidemiology and nosocomial infections; non-fermentative bacteria; advanced bacterial identification (genome sequencing); clinical laboratory management and innovation and research in health technologies. Member of BrCAST (Brazilian Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test) and Board of Microbial Resistance in Technical Health Services - (CATREM) ANVISA.

Diagnostic Microbiology

Edvaldo Antonio Ribeiro Rosa is a full Professor of Microbiology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Parana (PUCPR). He is the Leader of the Xenobiotics Research Unit, at PUCPR. His research interests are “on microbial biotransformation of xenobiotics to obtain new bioactive molecules and in the modulation of microbial virulence factors by drugs”.

Microbiology

Jorg Kreuter studied Pharmacy at the Philipps-University Marburg, Germany and got his PhD in 1974 as well as his Habilitation (Science Doctor) in 1982 at the Eidegenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zürich, Switzerland. In 1977, he was working as a Postdoc at the University of Kansas in Lawrence and in 1979, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In 1983, he was a Visiting Professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and in 1984 he became a Professor at the Goethe-University of Frankfurt, Germany. He was Dean twice, between 1988-1989 and 1997-1998. He is one of the pioneers in nanoparticles and has over 300 publications.

Medical Microbiology

Serena Mazzucchelli, PhD, research associate at the University of Milan. She received her bachelor degree in Biological Sciences in 2004, degree in Biology in 2006 and PhD in Biological Sciences in 2009 at the Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences (University of Milan-Bicocca-Italy). From 2009 to 2012 she has a post-doc fellowship at the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco” (University of Milan-Italy). From 2012 to 2015 she is researcher at the “L. Sacco” University Hospital. Today, SM is carrying out her research activity focused on the development of nanodevices for diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer at the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco” (University of Milan).

Biochemistry, nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine. SM research activity is focused on the study of nanoparticle interaction with tumor cells aimed at the development of nanodevices for diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer.

Gulay Buyukkoroglu has completed her Ph.D at the age of 33 years from Anadolu University and postdoctoral studies from University of London The School of Pharmacy on transcutaneous DNA vaccination. She is head of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Anadolu University Faculty of Pharmacy. She is working on gene delivery systems, new cancer drug delivery systems with siRNA and specific antibodies attached drug delivery systems and DNA vaccination.

Pharmaceutical Microbiology

Suleiman Al-Obeid has completed his Residency in Internal Medicine at Damascus University, School of Medicine in Syria in 1977 and at the University of Paris VI in France. He has completed his Clinical and Microbiological research on the Mechanism of Bacterial Resistance in the Molecular Research Laboratory at the University of Paris VI, Department Of Microbiology, School of Medicine where he completed his PhD in 1990. He was an Assistant Professor at Damascus University, School of Medicine since 1991. He is a Member in the French & European Society of Microbiology. He has several scientific papers and projects either presented or published. He is an internationally recognized expert in many areas including internal medicine, infectious diseases & clinical microbiologic research. He is a Reviewer for several international journal of medicine in clinical microbiology and infection control.

Microbiology and Bacteriology

Dr. Brennan began his life-long involvement in tuberculosis and leprosy research in 1962 under Professor Frank Winder at Trinity College Dublin. His Ph.D. studies helped establish for the first time that the killing effect of isoniazid on the tuberculosis (TB) bacillus was through inhibition of the synthesis of mycolic acid. Under Professor Clinton Ballou at the University of California, Berkeley, he was responsible for the early definitive work on the biosynthesis of the phosphatidylisositolmannosides (PIMs) of mycobacteria.
On his return to Ireland, Dr. Brennan was Research Lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, Trinity College Dublin, and subsequently Lecturer in Biochemistry at University College Dublin. Dr. Brennan returned to the U.S. in 1975, to positions at National Jewish Hospital and the University of Colorado Medical Center, and in 1980 to Colorado State University.
Over the past 35 years, he has led research teams in conducting some of the most fundamental research on the nature of the tuberculosis and leprosy organisms:
(i) definition of the structure, biosynthesis, and genetics of the core cell wall of the TB bacterium and the mode of action of several key TB drugs;
(ii) discovery and molecular definition of LAM, the key ligand in the interactions of the TB organism with host cells;
(iii) the discovery and molecular structure of PGL I (phenolic glycolipid I), the specific antigen/marker of the leprosy organism and its application to the selective diagnosis of leprosy;
(iv) the introduction of the first skin test antigen for leprosy diagnosis for a leprosy endemic area;
(v) definition of the chemical basis of the serotype difference of most of the non-tuberculosis mycobacteria.
Brennan has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications in these and related areas. He has attracted over $20 million in research funds to the University. In 1998, he was named one of 12 University Distinguished Professors at Colorado State University and in 2004 he was elected to the American Academy of Microbiology. He is Editor-in-Chief of Tuberculosis and an editor of Pathogens and Disease and a former editor of Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Tuberculosis and Leprosy research

Professor Ibrahim M. Banat, Professor of Microbial Biotechnology at the University of Ulster, UK. Has more than 30 years’ experience in academic and research institutions in Europe and internationally and has several active collaborative project within the EU and other international academic and industrial establishments.

Research interests include biosurfactants and bio-actives production and potential utilization in environmental oil pollution control and hydrocarbon polluted land bioremediation and microbial enhanced oil recovery. He also recently concentrating on investigating biomedical, pharmaceutical, health and cosmetics related applications of biosurfactants. Prof. Banat also has interest and worked on molecular and cell biology of thermophilic Geobacilli bacteria and bioethanol fermentation and the molecular biology of biosurfactant producers.

Head of Microbiology Laboratory& Medicine Residency Coordinator, supervisor PhD in Medicine and also a member of the leadership of in ESC, ESGP & ESCMID. Prof Monica is also a member of the editorial staff / reviewer of national and international journals. She has been awarded with a honorary diploma by the National Society of Parasitology. She is a visiting professor of the Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Parasitology, Infection Control, Microbiology

Assoc. Prof. Helena Bujdáková, is the head of the Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. She is a specialist in medical microbiology. She has had experiences with a management of national projects, but also with those bilateral ones with Austria, Armenia and Ukraine. She was a partner of the consortium in the project CanTrain Marie Curie Research Training Network (FP6) funded by EU. She got Fulbright and JSPS scholarships for research / teaching stays in USA and Japan.
She is also Vice President of the Czechoslovak Society for Microbiology, the bilateral organization joining Slovak and Czech microbiologists. She has been a member of the Group for teaching Microbiology in Europe, established at FEMS (Federation of European Microbiological Societies). Regularly she gave invited lectures at national and international conferences and congresses. In this very challenging and competitive science discipline, she published more than 60 reviewed articles indexed in Web of Sciences that have been cited more than 450 times.

she has worked in various topics dealing with microbial biofilms, especially, aimed at yeasts from the genus Candida.She has also been actively involved in the consortium COST Action iPROMEDAI TD1305 (Improved Protection of Medical Devices, 2014-2018).

Natalia Tschowri studied Biology at the Freie Universität Berlin, where she also obtained her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Regine Hengge with a thesis on blue light signalling in the control of biofilm formation in Escherichia coli. In September 2012 she joined Prof. Mark Buttner’s lab at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, UK as a PostDoc. Funded by the EMBO longterm fellowship, she began to work on c-di-GMP signalling in Streptomyces. Back in Berlin in October 2013 she continued with her studies on the role of cyclic di-nucleotides in Streptomyces developmental biology and is now an independent group leader at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Role of cyclic di-nucleotides in Streptomyces developmental biology

Dr. Amparo Gamero Lluna works as Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Bromatology area at the University of Valencia, Spain. She holds an European Ph.D in Food Science, Technology & Management as well as Human Nutrition & Dietetics and Food Science & Technology degrees. Her main research topic is the study of aroma production by yeasts in food products, especially alcoholic beverages. The yeasts studied are Saccharomyces species, their natural interspecific hybrids and non-conventional yeasts. Her research interests reflect in her wide range of publications in international journals and her participation in congresses at international level. She has worked and carrying out short stays at different universities, research centers and companies of different European countries: Spain (Spanish National Research Council, CSIC; University of Valencia; University of Zaragoza; AINIA technology centre), The Netherlands (NIZO food research; Fungal Biodiversity Center, CBS-KNAW), Denmark (University of Copenhagen; Carlsberg Research Center; Christian Hansen) and Belgium (University of Leuven).

study of aroma production by yeasts in food products

Dr. Bożena Futoma-Kołoch graduated from University of Wrocław in 2004. She received her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Wrocław in 2008. After that, she has held an academic position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology in the Institute of Genetics and Microbiology at University of Wrocław. She is a member of Polish Society of Microbiologists, and International Complement Society. She has published more than 50 papers in national and international journals, 30 presentations at congresses, with several awards. Dr. Futoma-Kołoch's research program focuses on bacterial surface antigens as molecular targets of the protective immune response and their role in bacterial resistance to disinfectants.

bacterial surface antigens as molecular targets of the protective immune response and their role in bacterial resistance to disinfectants.

Ahmed Hegazi is currently a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology in the National Research Center, Egypt. He received his Master’s degree in 1979 and his PhD in 1981. His research work has been focused lately on bee products and their therapeutic effects. He organized and contributed to national and international research projects since 1977 and up till now; he has been the Principal Investigator on multiple research projects within the National Research Center. He has published 207 scientific papers and articles in national and international journals. He is also the President of the Egyptian Environmental Society for Uses and Production of Bee Products, Secretary of the Egyptian Society of Apitherapy, Secretary General of the African Federation of Apiculture Associations and a Member of the International Apitherapy Commission (APIMONDIA). He also received many awards.

Microbiology and Immunology

Tinatin Doolotkeldieva is a Head and Professor of Plant Protection Department of Agriculture Faculty at Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, Kyrgyzstan. She has expertise in Soil Microbiology, Bioremediation of Environment Pollution, Plant-Microbe interactions, Agricultural Biotechnology using molecular tools and management of plant health by using biocontrol agents. She has published more than 220 papers in reputed journals. She is a member of American Association for Microbiology, Molecular Plant- Microbe Interaction Society, British Plant Pathology Society, and Society for Invertebrate Pathology, ‘Global Avalon network “on organic agriculture and others.

She has expertise in Soil Microbiology, Bioremediation of Environment Pollution, Plant-Microbe interactions, Agricultural Biotechnology using molecular tools and management of plant health by using biocontrol agents.

Olga V.Kamzolkina is a russian mycologist, professor in the Mycology and Algology Department at Biology faculty of the Lomonosov Moscow State University. Kamzolkina OV founded a cyto-physiologists school for students and PhD students. Olga V. Kamzolkina is author of over 100 publications, several patents and books in the fields of cell biology, fungal cytology and physiology as well as fungal antimicrobial activity and ligth & electron microscopy. She is the member of the European Mycological Association and Obshchestvo Biotekhnologov Rossii Im. Yu.A. Ovchinnikova. She is currently studying fungal endocytosis, mithochondrial organization and functions in mycelial fungi from the different ecological niches. Lecture and laboratory course for bachelors and masters: fungal cell biology, physiology of fungi.

She is currently studying fungal endocytosis, mithochondrial organization and functions in mycelial fungi from the different ecological niches.

Zhiheng Pei is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at New York University School of Medicine and serves as an Attending Pathologist in the Department of Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System, USA. He has broad interests in the etiology and pathogenesis of cancers and chronic diseases. In the past several years, he has been evaluating and pioneering a new concept – microecological disease, in several NIH-sponsored projects involving cancers in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach as well as disease in tonsils. His laboratory defined the esophageal microbiome and demonstrated its association with esophageal adenocarcinoma in one of the Human Microbiome Demonstration Projects sponsored by NIH Roadmap Initiative. His team also discovered the link of periodontal pathogens to oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. Clinically, he is interested in the diagnosis of diseases due to uncultivable microbial agents in fixed tissue specimens, using molecular techniques.

Clinically, he is interested in the diagnosis of diseases due to uncultivable microbial agents in fixed tissue specimens, using molecular techniques.