ASM Microbe 2025

Featured Sessions

Each year, ASM Microbe hosts 3 main-stage keynote sessions, delving into critical topics in the microbial sciences that have significant impact on humanity. These sessions go beyond disciplinary boundaries, providing attendees with a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in microbiology and related fields. Explore the sessions below and mark your calendar for an unforgettable ASM Microbe 2024 program!

Check out all sessions ASM Microbe 2024 has to offer.

Pictured: ASM CEO Stefano Bertuzzi addresses the crowd during ASM Microbe's opening session, kicking off the world's largest microbiology conference.
Pictured: ASM CEO Stefano Bertuzzi addresses the crowd during ASM Microbe's opening session, kicking off the world's largest microbiology conference.

Opening Session

Thursday, June 13 | 4:30 p.m.

Join us for the Opening General Session of ASM Microbe 2024, where we kick off with welcome remarks from ASM President Virginia Miller, Ph.D. and a society update from ASM CEO, Stefano Bertuzzi, Ph.D., MPH. The program includes recognition of the American Academy of Microbiology 2024 awardees and fellows, followed by an engaging interview with the 2024 ASM Lifetime Achievement Awardee, Rita R. Colwell, Ph.D., conducted by James B. Kaper, Ph.D. The session concludes with a featured scientific presentation by Emily P. Balskus, Ph.D., Harvard University.

Don't miss this dynamic session with highlights on ASM activities and a distinguished lineup of speakers showcasing the forefront of microbiology!

Stefano Bertuzzi, Ph.D., MPH
CEO
American Society for Microbiology

Virginia Miller, Ph.D
President
American Society for Microbiology

Rita Colwell, Ph.D.
President of CosmosID, Distinguished Professor
ASM Lifetime Achievement Awardee

University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

James Kaper, Ph.D.
Chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology
ASM Lifetime Awardee Recognition Moderator

University of Maryland, School of Medicine

Emily P. Balskus, Ph.D.
Thomas Dudley Cabot Professor of Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
Harvard University

The Power of Microbial Sciences to Change the World

Saturday, June 15 | 5:15 p.m.

Join the Microbe 2024 ASM President's Forum for a captivating gathering of top minds in microbial sciences! On June 15 in Atlanta, immerse yourself in dynamic discussions led by ASM President Virginia Miller, Ph.D., along with former ASM President Timothy Donohue, Ph.D., antiviral drug strategist Nat Moorman, Ph.D., and metagenomics expert Emiley Eloe-Fadrosh, Ph.D.

Together, they'll dive into the exciting realm of microbes as catalysts for a bio-revolution, the pivotal role of READDI in preparing for the next pandemic and the interconnected ecosystems of microbiome research. Don't miss this thrilling exploration of microbiology's power and be part of the conversation shaping the future—with the biggest names in the microbial sciences community!
 

Virginia Miller, Ph.D
Current ASM President, Host
American Society for Microbiology, UNC Chapel Hill

Timothy Donohue, Ph.D.
Former ASM President, Director of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Nat Moorman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Emiley Eloe-Fadrosh, Ph.D.
Award-Winning Researcher, Lab Lead at National Microbiome Data Collaborative
Joint Genome Institute


There will also be an “After Chat” with all the President’s Forum speakers on Sunday from 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the POM Track Hub

ASM Science & Society Keynote: Dr. Peter Hotez Takes the Stage with MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart

Sunday, June 16 | 5:30 p.m.

The ASM Microbe "Science and Society" keynote lecture series is a series that highlights the importance of new scientific discoveries and their impact on our community. Through this series, featuring world-renowned speakers and in-depth discussions on cutting-edge topics, ASM will showcase how microbes are essential in our lives and, through innovative technologies, can solve the world’s most pressing public health concerns. This year, get ready to be enthralled as Peter Hotez, Ph.D., joins us for an interview, led by the engaging MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart.

View Session in Program Planner

Note: ASM Press will host a book signing with Hotez immediately following this session.

Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., talks with ASM CEO Stefano Bertuzzi about the importance of engaging with the public on scientific topics.

 

Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D.
Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine

Jonathan Capehart
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist and Television Commentator
MSNBC, The Washington Post and PBS

Join Our Cross-Track Plenary Sessions

Microbial Innovations for a Sustainable Tomorrow

Friday, June 14 | 8:15-10:15 a.m.

Yaprak Ozakman, Ph.D.
Convener
8:15-10:15 a.m.

Jason Peters, Ph.D.
Fighting Climate Change with Bacterial Genetics
8:15-8:45 a.m.

Angela Sessitsch, Ph.D.
Microbiome Innovations for Sustainability
8:45-9:15 a.m.

Suzanne van Asten, M.D., Ph.D.
Microbiologist’s Guide: Simple ways to Contribute to a Greener Future
9:15-9:45 a.m.


Climate Change, AMR, and Global Surveillance of Emerging Microbes

Saturday, June 15 | 8:15-10:15 a.m.

Vanessa Sperandio, Ph.D.
Convener
8:15-10:15 a.m.

Iruka Okeke, M.S., Ph.D.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Africa: What's WASH Got to Do With It?
8:15-8:45 a.m.

Rino Rappuoli, Ph.D.
Global Warming and Antibiotic Resistance: a Global View from Europe, Academia and Pharma
8:45-9:15 a.m.

Salvador Almagro-Moreno, Ph.D.
Global Warming and Vibrio Pathogenicity, Infection and Spread
9:15-9:45 a.m.


Keeping Control and Preventing Infections: Hospital Epidemiology and Microbiology Col-LAB-oration

Sunday, June 16 | 8:15-10:15 a.m.

David Calfee, M.D., M.S.
Convener
Diagnostic Stewardship: the Good, the Bad, and the Potentially Ugly
8:15-10:15 a.m.

Arjun Srinivasan, M.D.
The Vital Role of the Clinical Microbiology Lab in Monitoring and Preventing Healthcare Associated Infections- the CDC Perspective
8:15-8:50 a.m.

Tara Palmore, M.D.
The Role of Active Surveillance and Microbial Sequencing in Preventing and Terminating Nosocomial Transmission
8:50-9:25 a.m.