Dear Colleague,
The National Committee for Microbiology (NaCoMi) and the Belgian Co-ordinated Collections of Micro-organisms (BCCM) are proud and happy to invite you to the second Tiny Titans Talks to be held on Monday September 7, 2026, at the Palace of Academies, Brussels:
MICROBES AT THE FRONTIERS OF MICROBIOLOGY
This edition takes you to the frontiers of Microbiology where microbes are unexpected, unexplored and often…unbelievable. From strange adaptations to unseen interactions, our speakers will share the passion behind their discoveries – not just what they found, but why it matters and how it changed their perspectives. The panel of presentations will cover a large panel of unusual microbes, spanning from Bdelloid rotifers to Giant viruses, and everything in between !
A special highlight will bridge science and creativity, offering a unique perspective on microbes as both exciting subjects of study and invaluable sources of inspiration. The Tiny Titans Talks are not just about results, data, or methodologies. They are about curiosity, discovery, and the moments that redefine a field.
You can register on our website (https://belnacomi.eu/), or by clicking this link:
For 50 Euros, you will be able to enjoy the following one-day programme:
| Monday, September 7, 2026 | |
| 8:30 | Registration |
| 9:00 | Welcome address |
| The bright side of the invisible realm 1 – Chair: BCCM | |
| 9:10 | A drop in the ocean: diatom diversity through the lense of genomicsEveline Pinseel – Laboratory of Protistology & Aquatic Ecology, UGent |
| 9:40 | The hypho-sphere of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: a microbial hub for plant nutrition, health, and pathogen controlStephan Declerck – Laboratory of Mycology, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve |
| 10:10 | Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) YeastKatrien Claes – Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB-UGent |
| 10:40 | Coffee break |
| The bright side of the invisible realm 2 – Chair: Stephan Declerck | |
| 11:00 | CyanobacteriaDail Laughinghouse – University of Florida, Davie West, Davie, Florida, USA |
| 11:30 | Microbiology in SpaceNatalie Leys – Microbial Biotechnology Research Unit, SCK-CEN, Mol |
| 12:00 | Bio-Art: Making art with microorganismsMatthijs De Block – Independent artist / Lecturer & researcher at LUCA School of Arts Ghent |
| 12:30 | Lunch & Group picture |
| On the edge of Microbiology – Chairs: Paul Cos & Annick Wilmotte | |
| 14:00 | Evolving without males, while having adapted to extreme stressesKarine Van Doninck – Laboratory of Molecular Biology & Evolution, ULB, Brussels |
| 14:30 | Chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease driving global loss of amphibian diversityFrank Pasmans – Laboratory of Veterinary Bacteriology and Mycology, UGent |
| 15:00 | Twenty years of research on giant virusesChantal Abergel – Information Génomique & Structurale, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France |
| 15:30 | Coffee Break |
| 15:50 | PVC bacteria: microbiology’s Platypus, divergent biology and the Tree of LifeDamien Devos – Institut Pasteur Lille, Univ. Lille, France |
| 16:20 | ArchaeaEveline Peeters – VUB, Brussels, Belgium |
| 16:50 | Concluding remarks |
So, don’t wait to register to the conference, and don’t hesitate to invite your friends and colleagues to do the same !
Thanks for your support.
We wish you a pleasant day, and we are looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Jacques Mahillon (NaCoMi) & Annick Wilmotte (BCCM)