Abstract Submission is Open!
More than 60% of respondents to an ASM Microbe abstract submission survey said that they chose to submit an abstract because "ASM Microbe has the scientists I want to meet/collaborate with." Take advantage of the opportunity to get your research in front of experts and peers in the microbial sciences!
Special Student Registration Discount for Poster Presenters
Attention Students!
As an ASM student member, you can attend ASM Microbe 2020 at the Student Member Poster Presenter discount rate. Take the following steps to ensure your discount:
- Join ASM
- Submit your abstract for ASM Microbe 2020 no later than January 24.
- Receive your disposition letter by the end of February. If your abstract has been accepted, you will receive a link to register as a Poster Presenter.
- Register for ASM Microbe 2020 by March 20 to redeem the discounted Student Member Poster Presenter registration rate of $155.
Late-breaker Abstract Submission
There will be NO late-breaker abstract submission for ASM Microbe 2020.
Questions? Please contact asmmicrobemtgprogram@asmusa.org.
Important Dates
November 15, 2019
Abstract Submission and Travel Awards Open
December 3, 2019, 5 p.m. ET
Early Abstract Submission Review Deadline
December 20, 2019
Early Abstract Submission - Dispositions Sent
January 24, 2020, 5 p.m. ET
Abstract Submission and Travel Awards Close
End of February 2020
Dispositions Sent
Mid-March 2020
Travel Award Dispositions Sent
March 20, 2020
Abstract Withdrawal Deadline
Early-April 2020
Poster Presentations and Oral Presentation Assignments Sent
Abstract Submission and Travel Awards Open
December 3, 2019, 5 p.m. ET
Early Abstract Submission Review Deadline
December 20, 2019
Early Abstract Submission - Dispositions Sent
January 24, 2020, 5 p.m. ET
Abstract Submission and Travel Awards Close
End of February 2020
Dispositions Sent
Mid-March 2020
Travel Award Dispositions Sent
March 20, 2020
Abstract Withdrawal Deadline
Early-April 2020
Poster Presentations and Oral Presentation Assignments Sent
Travel Awards
The ASM Microbe Travel Awards submission process has changed! While submitting your abstract, you will also have the option to select what awards you'd like to apply for, and will be able to upload any supporting documents. ASM offers the following travel awards to help offset the costs of attending and presenting at ASM Microbe:
- Outstanding Abstracts Award
- ASM Infectious Disease (ID) Award
- ASM-FEMS Mäkelä-Cassell Travel Award for Early-Career Scientists
- ASM Microbe Minority Travel Award
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Travel Award for Scientists from Low and Low-Middle Income Countries
- ASM Professional Development Grant for Clinical and Public Health Microbiologists
- Carlyn Halde Latin American Student Travel Award
- ASM Student and Postdoctoral Travel Award
- Research Capstone Fellowship
What You Need Before Submitting Your Abstract
- Abstract Title: Please use a short and concise title that indicates the content of the abstract. (Note: the title is not included in the total character count of 2200).
- Abstract Body Text: Your abstract may have up to 2200 characters, which does not include title, authors, groups, and affiliations. Tables and graphics (maximum of 500 characters) are included in the character count. Spaces are not counted. Do NOT include abstract title, authors or keywords in abstract text. Abstract text may be submitted using either of the following methods: Copy/paste, direct entry keystrokes, or file upload. Your abstract may be written without the use of the following bolded headers (Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion). However, follow the abstract guidelines to ensure all required information about your study is provided in your abstract.
- Author(s) Information: Author(s)'s name(s), institution(s), location(s), title(s).
- CE Disclosures: Relative to this activity, instructors, planners, content reviewers and managers who affect the content of a CME/CE activity are required to disclose relevant financial relationships they have with commercial interests (i.e., any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients).
- Travel Awards: When submitting your abstract, you can also simultaneously apply for one or more travel awards. Review the Travel Awards offered for ASM Microbe 2020. Be sure to have any needed supporting documents ready for uploading at the time of abstract submission (e.g. nomination letter).
Abstract Guidelines
All Submitted Abstracts
- It is preferred that ASM Microbe 2020 be the first major presentation of the abstract.
- A presenter may be a presenter on more than one abstract.
- Programming decisions are considered final.
- Abstracts must be well written and easy to understand.
- Approval of all co-authors must be obtained before placing their names on an abstract.
- Submission of multiple overlapping abstracts is discouraged.
- The reason for the study or how the study came about (e.g. hypothesis, discovery or central question) should be clearly stated.
- Methods must be included.
- Data must be objectively gathered, analyzed and reported.
- Data must support the stated conclusion(s).
- All presentations dealing with the isolation, purification, structure-activity relationships, mechanisms of action, in vivo/in vitro microbiology, PK/PD in animals and Pre-US IND or non-US early phase I studies must include meaningful data (e.g., producing organism, purification steps, physical-chemical characterization, structures, MICs, ED50s to describe new compounds and their properties, and that chemical structures of lead compounds will be included as part of the poster presentation. Please note: Any posters or talks dealing with a specific small molecule antimicrobial agent must provide a chemical structure, or a literature reference to the structure, in order to be presented at the meeting. Abstracts describing biological data on an antimicrobial agent whose chemical structure has not been defined should be submitted to the HMB track.
- Scientific presentations at ASM Microbe 2020 will be expected to transparently report a study’s scientific rigor, including, but not limited to the following: 1) experimental design; 2) methodology; 3) data collection; 4) analysis; and 5) interpretation and report of results. Other key components of scientific rigor included, if applicable, are sample size, randomization, blinding, and replication.
- The reason for the study or how the study came about (e.g. hypothesis, discovery or central question) should be clearly stated.
- Data must be objectively gathered, analyzed and reported.
- Data must support the stated conclusion(s).
- Conclusion(s) should be made, but the study does not need to be fully complete (the standard to present at ASM Microbe is not the same as to publish in a journal).
- Abstracts describing biological data on an antimicrobial agent whose chemical structure has not been defined should be submitted to the HMB track.
- Scientific presentations at ASM Microbe 2020 will be expected to transparently report a study's scientific rigor, including, but not limited to the following: 1) experimental design; 2) interpretation and report of results.
Abstract FAQs
Does the presenting author have to be a member of ASM?
ASM Membership is not required to submit or present an abstract. However, membership is required to apply for and receive an ASM Award or Travel Grant.
May I submit more than one abstract?
Yes, you may submit more than one abstract. However, if you are listed as the presenting author on more than one accepted abstract which are scheduled at the same presentation times, a co-author(s) will be required to make one or more of your presentations.
What is an early abstract versus a regular abstract?
An early abstract is a mechanism for abstract submitters who need an early decision for a VISA, to submit and be reviewed, with a decision, no later than December 20, 2019. To utilize this option, choose "early abstract" when submitting. Early abstract submission closes December 3, 2019.
Regular abstracts may be submitted by close, January 24, 2020, 5 p.m. ET. They will be reviewed in the regular window with dispositions being sent by late-February 2020.
If I have more than one abstract that is accepted for presentation, how can I guarantee they will not be scheduled at the same time?
For a meeting of this size, it is not possible to consider special scheduling requests. If two or more abstracts are scheduled at the same time, you are invited to have a co-author present one of the abstracts.
Should the presenting author be the submitter of the abstract?
Whenever possible, yes. Contact information is collected for the submitter and the presenting author. ASM prefers to correspond with the presenting author of the accepted abstract. This policy ensures that the presenter knows when and where to present the abstract.
Note: If you and a colleague are both submitting an abstract, there is no guarantee that both will be placed into the same session(s), if accepted. Due to the size of the meeting and the number of presentations, we will not accept special scheduling requests for abstract presentations.
The abstract I submitted has three authors from two different affiliations, but my on-line view of the author block of my abstract shows three different affiliations. Did I do something wrong?
Yes. If you and your co-authors come from more than one affiliation, be sure to type common affiliations in exactly the same manner. Review the author block when displayed to see if the correct numbers of affiliations are displayed.
If I am submitting through ASM’s website, how should I organize the research in my abstract?
Your abstract may be written without the use of the following bolded headers (Background, Materials, Results, Conclusion). However, follow the abstract guidelines to ensure all required information about your study is provided in your abstract.
If I am submitting through ASM’s website, how can I save a copy of my abstract submission?
We recommend that you prepare and save a copy of your abstract in your personal electronic files before going to ASM’s web page. After your submission is complete, you will receive a confirmation email.
Is there a limit on how long my abstract can be?
Yes. Your abstract may have a maximum limit of 2,200 characters which includes the body of the abstract, but not authors, groups, institutions, and tables/graphics (spaces not counted). A Times New Roman Font is recommended. Avoid use of fonts specific to the software application you use. This is particularly true for symbols as some character sets do not translate well resulting in lost information.
Note: An additional entry line has been added to the electronic submission to accommodate credits, footnotes, etc.; a character limit of 300 is applied to this field but does not count towards the character count of the abstract body.
How do I know that my abstract submission was received?
The abstract submission system will provide a control number as soon as you complete the affirmations and provide a title for your abstract. As you complete individual steps in the process, the system will display the results. At the end of the process, a final summary page will be immediately displayed with all information successfully received. You may edit your abstract until the submission deadline of Janaury 24, 2020, 5:00 p.m. ET. Thereafter, no further changes can be made.
The summary page states that my abstract is complete. Does this mean that my abstract has been accepted?
No. If your abstract is complete, it means you have completed all the steps required to be reviewed. Abstracts are assigned to the Reviewers in January. Disposition letters will be e-mailed to submitters by February 28, 2020.
If my abstract is rejected, can I address the reviewer’s concerns and ask for a new review?
While you are welcome to contact asmmicrobemtgprogram@asmusa.org, programming decisions are final.
What is the deadline for withdrawal without penalty?
To withdraw your abstract without incurring a penalty, you must do so by March 20, 2020. You can withdraw your abstract by sending an e-mail to asmmicrobemtgprogram@asmusa.org.
If my abstract has been previously published in any journal or presented at a Meeting/Conference, will my abstract still be accepted for ASM Microbe 2020?
You may submit an abstract that has been previously published or presented at another national or international meeting but the abstract must first go through review process and be accepted. It is preferred that ASM Microbe 2020 be the first major presentation of the abstract.
How do I apply for a travel award?
You apply for a travel award via the abstract submission site. In addition to each award's specific eligibility requirements, to be considered for a travel award, you must have a complete, accepted abstract. However, this does not guarantee you an award.
There is a separate review process and dispositions will be sent in mid-March. Additionally, if selected, you are only eligible to receive one travel award per abstract submitter.
ASM Membership is not required to submit or present an abstract. However, membership is required to apply for and receive an ASM Award or Travel Grant.
May I submit more than one abstract?
Yes, you may submit more than one abstract. However, if you are listed as the presenting author on more than one accepted abstract which are scheduled at the same presentation times, a co-author(s) will be required to make one or more of your presentations.
What is an early abstract versus a regular abstract?
An early abstract is a mechanism for abstract submitters who need an early decision for a VISA, to submit and be reviewed, with a decision, no later than December 20, 2019. To utilize this option, choose "early abstract" when submitting. Early abstract submission closes December 3, 2019.
Regular abstracts may be submitted by close, January 24, 2020, 5 p.m. ET. They will be reviewed in the regular window with dispositions being sent by late-February 2020.
If I have more than one abstract that is accepted for presentation, how can I guarantee they will not be scheduled at the same time?
For a meeting of this size, it is not possible to consider special scheduling requests. If two or more abstracts are scheduled at the same time, you are invited to have a co-author present one of the abstracts.
Should the presenting author be the submitter of the abstract?
Whenever possible, yes. Contact information is collected for the submitter and the presenting author. ASM prefers to correspond with the presenting author of the accepted abstract. This policy ensures that the presenter knows when and where to present the abstract.
Note: If you and a colleague are both submitting an abstract, there is no guarantee that both will be placed into the same session(s), if accepted. Due to the size of the meeting and the number of presentations, we will not accept special scheduling requests for abstract presentations.
The abstract I submitted has three authors from two different affiliations, but my on-line view of the author block of my abstract shows three different affiliations. Did I do something wrong?
Yes. If you and your co-authors come from more than one affiliation, be sure to type common affiliations in exactly the same manner. Review the author block when displayed to see if the correct numbers of affiliations are displayed.
If I am submitting through ASM’s website, how should I organize the research in my abstract?
Your abstract may be written without the use of the following bolded headers (Background, Materials, Results, Conclusion). However, follow the abstract guidelines to ensure all required information about your study is provided in your abstract.
If I am submitting through ASM’s website, how can I save a copy of my abstract submission?
We recommend that you prepare and save a copy of your abstract in your personal electronic files before going to ASM’s web page. After your submission is complete, you will receive a confirmation email.
Is there a limit on how long my abstract can be?
Yes. Your abstract may have a maximum limit of 2,200 characters which includes the body of the abstract, but not authors, groups, institutions, and tables/graphics (spaces not counted). A Times New Roman Font is recommended. Avoid use of fonts specific to the software application you use. This is particularly true for symbols as some character sets do not translate well resulting in lost information.
Note: An additional entry line has been added to the electronic submission to accommodate credits, footnotes, etc.; a character limit of 300 is applied to this field but does not count towards the character count of the abstract body.
How do I know that my abstract submission was received?
The abstract submission system will provide a control number as soon as you complete the affirmations and provide a title for your abstract. As you complete individual steps in the process, the system will display the results. At the end of the process, a final summary page will be immediately displayed with all information successfully received. You may edit your abstract until the submission deadline of Janaury 24, 2020, 5:00 p.m. ET. Thereafter, no further changes can be made.
The summary page states that my abstract is complete. Does this mean that my abstract has been accepted?
No. If your abstract is complete, it means you have completed all the steps required to be reviewed. Abstracts are assigned to the Reviewers in January. Disposition letters will be e-mailed to submitters by February 28, 2020.
If my abstract is rejected, can I address the reviewer’s concerns and ask for a new review?
While you are welcome to contact asmmicrobemtgprogram@asmusa.org, programming decisions are final.
What is the deadline for withdrawal without penalty?
To withdraw your abstract without incurring a penalty, you must do so by March 20, 2020. You can withdraw your abstract by sending an e-mail to asmmicrobemtgprogram@asmusa.org.
If my abstract has been previously published in any journal or presented at a Meeting/Conference, will my abstract still be accepted for ASM Microbe 2020?
You may submit an abstract that has been previously published or presented at another national or international meeting but the abstract must first go through review process and be accepted. It is preferred that ASM Microbe 2020 be the first major presentation of the abstract.
How do I apply for a travel award?
You apply for a travel award via the abstract submission site. In addition to each award's specific eligibility requirements, to be considered for a travel award, you must have a complete, accepted abstract. However, this does not guarantee you an award.
There is a separate review process and dispositions will be sent in mid-March. Additionally, if selected, you are only eligible to receive one travel award per abstract submitter.