American Society for Microbiology

Susceptible or resistant? When it comes to treating bacterial infections, the answer is crucial. Scientists are using AI to develop new strategies for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) that are easy, accurate—and quick. Learn more in the latest Microbial Minutes: https://brnw.ch/21wJX8C

In advance of the September 2024 UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, the AMR Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform highlights the importance of a One Health approach for coordination and communication across sectors to address antimicrobial resistance around the world. ASM contributed to the development of and endorses the consensus recommendations to respond to the rising threat of AMR. Read the recommendations: https://brnw.ch/21wJR5x

Throwback Thursday! Agar was originally used in cooking as a gelling agent in warmer climates. Its use in laboratories was “discovered” by Angelina “Lina/Fanny” Hesse, the wife of Walther Hesse. One hot day in 1881, Walther was working in Robert Koch’s lab at the Kaiserliches Gesundheitsamt (Imperial Health Agency). The scientists struggled with the liquefication of gelatin, the solid culture medium then used to coat glass tubes used for study. They noticed that Lina’s jellies and puddings stayed solid, so she shared with him the trick she learned from a Dutch neighbor: the use of agar-agar instead. Scientific discoveries rarely happen in a vacuum. They are informed by lived experiences. Lina and Walther’s lives—public and private—were entwined. She worked as his technician and scientific illustrator while caring for their home and their children. Her contributions, however, are largely forgotten today. Check out Significant Events timeline on the Center for the History of Microbiology/ASM Archives (CHOMA) site for several articles featuring Lina: https://brnw.ch/21wJQtY

ASM was on Capitol Hill on May 14 to hold a congressional briefing on wastewater and pathogen genomics for infection prevention and control. The briefing, which highlighted the critical importance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS), was moderated by Kara Levinson, PhD, MPH, D(ABMM),Director of the Tennessee Public Health Laboratory and member of ASM’s Board of Directors. Thank you to our speakers: Daniel Jernigan, MD MPH, Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Rob Wheeler, Ph.D., from the University of Maine and Isaac Benowitz, M.D., from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn more about NWSS: https://brnw.ch/21wJObA

ASM’s Director of Ethics and IDEAA, Amy Kullas, Ph.D. (left), and Director of Education, Irene Hulede (right), attended the 2024 White House Summit on STEMM Equity and Excellence last week. Hulede also met with AAAS Board of Directors Chair Gilda Barabino (right, second photo). AAAS is a founding partner of the summit. The STEMM Opportunity Alliance announced STEMM Equity and Excellence 2050: A National Strategy for Progress and Prosperity, with 5 key pillars: engagement, inspiration, discovery, innovation and opportunity. An essential part of ASM’s mission is embracing diversity in the STEM community—learn more about ASM’s work at https://brnw.ch/21wJFhS.

🎉ASM is proud to recognize several ASM Journals editors and editorial board members that have been elected as 2023 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Congratulations to our outstanding colleagues on this accomplishment and for the contributions you make to the microbial sciences! • Joanna Goldberg: Journal of Bacteriology; mBio; Microbiology Spectrum. • Jatin Vyas: Microbiology Spectrum. • Jonathan Dworkin: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; Journal of Bacteriology. • Andreas Bäumler: Infection and Immunity (Editor in Chief); EcoSal Plus. • Alexander Ploss: Journal of Virology. • Gisela Storz: mbio. • Sean Crosson: Journal of Bacteriology. • Natividad Ruiz: Journal of Bacteriology. • Jue D. Wang: Journal of Bacteriology. • Renee Tsolis: Infection and Immunity; Journal of Bacteriology. • Jaquelin Dudley: Journal of Virology. 📢 Read the announcement to learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wJCez ➡️ And view the full list: https://brnw.ch/21wJCey #ASMJournals #AAASFellows

Don't miss ASM's town hall on the updated strategic plan for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases! NIAID will be updating its plan for the first time since 2017, setting its priorities for the next 5 years. ASM members have the opportunity to review and provide feedback on our response to the draft strategic plan. Register now for the webinar on May 17: https://brnw.ch/21wJA8h

🌍📚 ASM is now accepting subscriptions and renewals for the 2025 subscription year! 🎉 But wait, there’s more! ASM will continue its #openaccess journey by moving to a Subscribe to Open (S2O) publishing model for its 6 subscription journal titles in the 2025 subscription year! Ask your librarians if they are planning to renew their subscriptions for 2025 to enjoy #S2O benefits such as publishing without APCs. Check out the press release to learn more about this transition: https://brnw.ch/21wJxx7

ASM celebrates the achievements and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander scientists to the field of microbiology. We believe that the various perspectives, experiences and backgrounds of our diverse membership enhance innovation, broaden the research agenda and further scientific advancement. Explore ASM's resources: https://brnw.ch/21wJmuT

The 2025 ASM Awards and Prize nominations are now open! From early career to lifetime achievement, clinical to environmental microbiology, ASM Awards and Prize honor exceptional contributions at every career level and in every field of the microbial sciences. And new this year, to recognize their contribution to microbial sciences, awardees will receive a waiver to publish an article in any ASM journal free of charge. ASM recognizes that there are excellent scientists within the historically underrepresented community who deserve the honor of receiving an ASM Awards or Prize but are often overlooked. Nominators are encouraged to nominate scientists from diverse backgrounds. Members of those communities are also encouraged to apply for the ASM Prize. Additionally, all nominees are highly encouraged to reach out and collaborate with their nominator and supporters in preparing the nomination submission. Deadline for submissions is June 24, 2024. https://brnw.ch/21wJlJD