Gisa Gerold at the HFSP Symposium at IUMS 2026 in Lisbon
From 4 to 6 November 2026, the International Union of Microbiological Societies Congress (IUMS 2026) takes place in Lisbon, Portugal. The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) will take part with a dedicated scientific symposium and a booth in the exhibition area. We are delighted that our head of institute, Gisa Gerold, will open the symposium and present a talk.
HFSP Symposium: Frontier Research in Microbiology
Thursday, 5 November 2026, 16:40–17:55, Room 5A
The session brings together internationally recognised researchers to present new approaches to some of the most challenging questions in microbiology. Topics include the evolution of microbial communities in the environment, the arms race between hosts and microbes, and modern approaches to studying how viruses enter and replicate in host cells. The symposium also aims to show young researchers the value of interdisciplinary, international research, with examples from clinical and environmental microbiology.
Programme
| Time | Talk | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 16:40–16:45 | Opening remarks | Gisa Gerold, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria |
| 16:45–17:00 | The African Microbiome Project | Thulani Makhalanyane, Stellenbosch University, South Africa |
| 17:00–17:15 | Understanding the host-microbe arms race through the TLR5-flagellin axis | Yi Han Tan, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Germany |
| 17:15–17:30 | Bacterial signaling molecules as mediators of gut-brain dialogues | Karina B. Xavier, Gulbenkian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Portugal |
| 17:30–17:45 | Viruses as borderliners: receptor use in insects and humans | Gisa Gerold, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria |
| 17:45–17:55 | HFSP support for international collaboration in basic research in the life sciences | Guntram Bauer, Human Frontier Science Program Organization, France |
Throughout the congress, HFSP will also be present in the exhibition area to inform visitors about its research grants, fellowships, Masterclasses and webinars.
More information: HFSP @ IUMS 2026 · IUMS 2026 Congress
