Conference: 2025 Animal-Microbe Symbioses GRC - University of Southern Maine in June 2025

Many animals, plants and fungi form long-term associations with microbes. These associations, termed symbioses, can provide the host organisms numerous benefits, including nutrition and protection from environmental stressors. The Animal-Microbe Symbioses Gordan Research Conference (GRC), to be held at the University of Southern Maine in June 2025, will bring together researchers working on animal-microbe symbioses across many different study system and environments. The small conference will allow attendees to interact through presentations and discussions about cutting edge science in the field. This project will provide support for early career scientists and new attendees to attend GRC Animal-Microbe Symbioses. These participants will be given opportunity to present their research, to get feedback on their research and to receive guidance on mentoring and professional development both through formal and informal discussion. Thus, this conference grant will support development of a vibrant STEM work force. The 2025 Gordan Research Conference on Animal-Microbe Symbioses will bring together researchers focusing on interrogating symbioses across multiple scales of biological organization. Sessions will focus on how symbioses shape ecology, evolution and organismal health. Several sessions will focus on the cellular and genetic bases of symbioses, including the intimate molecular crosstalk that occurs between animal hosts and their bacterial symbionts. 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.