News

Mini-symposium organized on February 23 (2 pm) at KU Leuven (Aula van de Tweede Hoofdwet, Kasteelpark Arenberg 41, Leuven). See leaflet for more info.

It is with deep sadness that we inform you that our colleague and friend Pierre Cornelis passed away on Saturday December 2nd. Pierre was Honorary member of BSM. Click on this link for an obituary written by VUB colleague Eddy Van Driessche. We would like to express our condolences to Pierre’s family, friends and colleagues.

The Young BSM board was established two years ago and consists of Belgium-based early career microbiology scientists with a passion for science communication. Our goal is to bring microbiology to the public through the organization of outreach activities.

Currently, the YBSM Board is looking for applicants who can strengthen the team with their talents of being a secretary, media curator, illustrator and/or else. We are looking for pro-active candidates who are interested in shaping what it means to do scientific outreach and defining our next goals. As a board, we are committed to represent the whole Belgian microbiology community, therefore we specifically urge young microbiologists from the French-speaking part of Belgium to apply.

Hence, if you are a BSM member and an early career scientist and you have an interest in science communication, committed to proactively participate and attend at least 6 meetings annually, don’t hesitate to apply by filling in the following form: https://forms.office.com/e/BFYvnRkur2. Applications will be accepted until 18/12/2023.

Thee 18th Congress of the International Union of Microbiological Societies – IUMS 2024 will take place on 23 – 25 October in Florence, Italy.
The IUMS 2024 Congress will bring together scientists from various fields of microbiology, including Bacteriology, Virology, and Mycology, to exchange knowledge, share recent advancements, and explore future perspectives in the field. https://iums2024.com/.

The 5th de Duve Lecture, which will be given by Professor Pascale COSSART, who will enlighten us on the molecular and cellular bases of bacterial infections. The lecture will take place on Thursday, 14 December at 17:30, in the auditorium A (Lacroix) on the UCLouvain Health Sciences campus in Brussels. It will be followed by a reception.

Professor Pascale Cossart is a pioneering figure in Cellular Microbiology, renowned for her groundbreaking work. She holds a PhD from the Pasteur Institute in Paris and has directed the Bacteria-Cell Interactions unit. Her research journey began with studying DNA-protein interactions, but in 1986, she shifted her focus to investigate the molecular and cellular aspects of bacterial infections, using Listeria monocytogenes as a model. Cossart’s work has yielded groundbreaking insights into how Listeria monocytogenes crosses the intestinal and feto-placental barriers, its actin-based motility within host cells, and novel mechanisms governing gene expression through RNAs. Her research also highlights the role of mitochondria in infection and host post-translational modifications, like histone modifications, influencing infection outcomes. Her contributions have garnered international recognition, with prestigious awards including the L’Oréal/Unesco award, the Robert Koch prize, the Jeantet prize, and the Balzan prize. She is a member of several prominent academies, such as the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine (USA), the Royal Society (UK), and the French Academy of Sciences, where she served as Perpetual Secretary. Currently, she holds the position of visitor at EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany.

For security reasons, registration before 11 December is mandatory, through the registration page or the QR code on the flyer.

La recherche en virologie est un enjeu de société essentiel pour lutter contre l’émergence de nouveaux pathogènes. Les nouvelles méthodes de la biologie moléculaire ont considérablement accéléré la recherche et le développement de nouvelles thérapeutiques, vaccins et tests diagnostiques moléculaires, nous permettant de mieux lutter contre les épidémies. Toutefois, ces technologies peuvent comporter des risques dont l’évaluation est complexe et fait débat, à la fois dans la société civile et au sein de la communauté scientifique.
L’objet de la conférence sera de contextualiser les différents types d’expériences en virologie et d’interroger les pratiques en prenant en compte les bénéfices – escomptés ou avérés – et en discutant les risques –fantasmés ou réels.

Horaire : Samedi 25 novembre 2023, de 10h00 à 11h30
Lieu : ULB Campus Plaine, Boulevard du Triomphe, Forum, auditoire E
Tout public : 5 € par séance
Étudiants : entrée gratuite
Membres d’Altaïr : entrée gratuite

Inscription requise sur https://forms.gle/uiWzwjp6JLUZvDiB7