"12th Biennial Mid-Atlantic Microbial Pathogenesis Meeting (MAMPM)"

Univ Of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT The 12th Mid-Atlantic Microbial Pathogenesis Meeting (MAMPM) will be held February 5-7, 2023 at Wintergreen Resort and Conference Center near Charlottesville, Virginia. The purpose of the MAMPM is to foster communication and collaboration among microbial pathogenesis researchers in the Mid-Atlantic region (North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, The District of Columbia, West Virginia, and Delaware). Research presented at MAMPM is highly relevant to FDA's mission, particularly in the development of novel vaccines, diagnostic and treatment platforms for the human diseases, and protection the public against the threats of emerging infectious diseases. Numerous FDA-funded investigators studying the virulence mechanisms of pathogens of importance to human health are in this geographic region. One of MAMPM’s key goals is to provide students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty with the opportunity to present their work to a knowledgeable audience, focused on this discipline, in a collegial yet scientifically rigorous environment. Conference evaluations consistently show MAMPM is a formative experience for young scientists’ professional development and remains one of the most appealing, and positively evaluated, aspects of this conference. MAMPM 2023 is arranged by the Organizing Committee consisting of the current, future, and past two conference chairs. The vast majority of talks are selected from abstracts and presented by graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty. Four internationally renowned keynote speakers introduce each session: Drs. Sunny Shin (U Penn), Carlos Orihuela (U Alabama Birmingham), Craig Altier (Cornell Univ.), and Patricia Champion (Univ Notre Dame). Two highly interactive poster sessions will be held to allow the opportunity for all participants to present and discuss their work. MAMPM 2023 will be publicized through advertisements in professional publications, social media posts, and direct mailings to relevant departments at academic institutions, government and private laboratories within the region and to members of the local American Society for Microbiology branches that serve this region. A dedicated website (http://mampm.org/) publicizes the meeting and provides the necessary information and forms required for registration. MAMPM remains committed to ensuring a balanced representation of women, underrepresented minorities, and persons of disability in the leadership, conference participants, and speakers, including keynote speakers. The conference will also feature a moderated, diversity-focused event that is open to all conference attendees; the discussion will be driven by topics and questions related to diversity and inclusivity in the microbial pathogenesis field, solicited from attendees prior to the meeting. In addition, the meeting will include “Dine with a Keynote” opportunities for trainees to discuss professional development issues.