mSystems® is an open-access ASM journal dedicated to publishing diverse systems microbiology research—everything from cell metabolism to ecosystem dynamics, tools and techniques, to novel synthetic microbiology.
Join the free mSystems Thinking Series of webinars, where editors come together with some of their favorite speakers on a variety of topics, using an interactive forum to allow the community to both hear the best science and meet speakers in small groups. Presentations are followed by an open forum panel discussion with all speakers and participants. Discussions and Q&A will all be live.
Critical Concepts in Dormancy
Part II: Discriminating States of Microbial Activity
Dormancy is a critical strategy microorganisms can use to persist in unfavorable conditions. However, many cells regularly fluctuate in activity intensity from very low (e.g., spores) to very high (e.g., replicating cells). Outside of controlled cultures in the laboratory, it remains technically challenging to discriminate different states of microbial activity. Yet, this discrimination is fundamental to first assessing and then understanding the consequences of dormancy and re-activation within biological systems. This webinar will feature 4 experts who will discuss the cutting-edge approaches they use to quantify the activity of microbial cells, populations and communities and share their collective insights across a breadth of biological complexity, from cellular to environmental systems.Key Learning Objectives:
- Discuss microbial activity as a continuum.
- Differentiate the advantages and limitations of 3-4 different technologies for discriminating microbial dormant from active states.
- Critique different usages and definitions of microbial dormancy as linked to the methods applied to evaluate activity.
Presenters
- Catherine Larose, Ph.D., researcher, CNRS Institute des Geosciences de l’Environnement.
- Rachel Mackelprang, Ph.D., professor, California State University Northridge.
- Yingying Pu, Ph.D., professor, principal investigator, State Key Laboratory and Wuhan University.
- Hyun Youk, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Moderator
- Ashley Shade, Ph.D., Director of Research, Institute of Ecology and the Environment, French National Center for Scientific Research.
Explore past mSystems Thinking Series webinars on our YouTube playlist, including the recording of Part 1, "Dormancy in Human Health and the Environment."