Conference: 15th Workshop on Cyanobacteria: Promoting collaborative science and early career scientists in the field of cyanobacterial physiology and biotechnology

The 15th Workshop on Cyanobacteria will bring together experts in ecology, biotechnology, and basic cell biology to focus on the latest advances in cyanobacterial field. The conference is organized into sessions to include topics from both traditional and emerging areas of cyanobacteria research while providing leading-edge examples of “what cyanobacteria can do.” A major goal of the conference is to create an environment where researchers can gather and exchange information. Also, by providing an opportunity for students and early career professionals to share their work, to network with the foremost leaders in the field, and to develop their careers, the workshop aims to infuse the cyanobacterial field with new energy and ideas. Cyanobacteria are indispensable model organisms for research on photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, cellular metabolism, microbial interactions, and gene regulation. Besides offering critical insights into these fundamental biological processes, cyanobacteria also enable applied biotechnological innovations, such as by combining synthetic biology and metabolic engineering approaches to produce biopharmaceuticals and bioplastics. This workshop aims to bring together life science researchers and engineers to discuss cutting-edge research and new technological advancements and to foster interdisciplinary collaborations centered around cyanobacteria in a highly interactive and engaging meeting. The conference organizers aim to provide opportunities for graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and early-career faculty to present their findings, to network with the foremost leaders in the field, and to develop their careers. The formal and informal events will promote the exchange of knowledge, discussions of challenges in the field, and collaborations to address these challenges. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.