Call for papers for themed Pseudomonas collection in Letters in Applied Microbiology
The journal Letters in Applied Microbiology is to run a themed collection on ’Emerging Horizons in Pseudomonas Biotechnology – Innovations from Early-Career Researchers’.
The initiative by the Applied Microbiology International (AMI) publication is a follow-up on the 3rd Pseudomonas Grassroots Meeting which took place in Munich in November 2023 and was sponsored by Letters in Applied Microbiology.
This collection aims to highlight the innovative and transformative research conducted by early-career scientists in Pseudomonas biotechnology.
It will focus on the biotechnological application of different Pseudomonas species, showcasing the potential of these versatile bacteria in various research, industrial, and environmental contexts. From applied biotechnology and metabolic engineering to developing novel genetic tools, this themed collection seeks to cover a broad spectrum of research areas.
Grassroots meeting
The Pseudomonas Grassroots Meeting ran at the Technical University of Munich in Garching from Thursday, November 9 until Friday, November 10.
As organisers Carina Meiners and Marleen Beentjes explain, the meeting was initially devised as a way to allow early career researchers (ECR) working with bacteria from the Pseudomonas genus to present and discuss their work in a more informal and supportive environment.
Unlike classical scientific conferences, the ECRs are the main contributors to the PGM, in the forms of posters, discussions and oral talks.
“It was a road with ups and downs, but we have learned a great deal during the process,” they said.
“As financial support for ECRs to attend conferences is limited, we wanted to ensure that we did not charge registration fees for the meeting.
“In total, we were able to convince four independent funds/organizations of the value of our conference and who were therefore willing to support us financially, namely: Freunde der TUM, the International Graduate School of Science and Engineering (TUM), The Department of Engineering and Design (TUM), and the scientific journal Letters in Applied Microbiology.
Special issue
“Together with the scientific journal Letters in Applied Microbiology, we have planned a special issue on Pseudomonas at the beginning of next year.
”We helped with the search for guest editors, who are now all young postdocs/PIs attending our conference.”
The programme delivered a tinge of Bavarian culture, with the conference dinner taking place in the Hofbräuhaus as well as a traditional Weißwurstfrühstuck in the Campus Cneipe.
“In total, we welcomed 50 participants from 16 different universities/institutions from 8 different countries. During the conference days, we received a lot of support from our group members, who helped in the seamless execution of the meeting,” the organisers revealed.
Talks and collaborations
“In total, there were four keynote talks, six talks by ECRs and 25 posters during the meeting. We can wholeheartedly say that the conference’s purpose - bringing together the ECR community of Pseudomonas - was achieved.
“We have received lots of positive feedback during and after the conference, both in person and over social media. Many participants have already exchanged contact information, and some scientific collaborations have also started.
“The senior researchers that were present have also stated the importance of this kind of meeting, and one of them has already announced the PGM-4, which will take place in Leipzig in 2024.
“Overall, our meeting has marked the beginning of a generation of Pseudomonas ECRs who will meet regularly and are not afraid to talk openly about their science!”
Call for papers
Submissions to the new collection are welcome from both conference delegates and the wider research community, and the Guest Editors are Dr. Till Tiso, Dr. Benedikt Wynands, Dr. Maike Otto, Dr. Christian Eberlein and Dr. Stephan Thies.
In the realm of microbial catalysis and biocatalysis, the new collection is aimed at studies that leverage the unique metabolic capabilities of Pseudomonas species for the production of valuable chemicals. Letters in Applied Microbiology also welcomes submissions that explore the use of Pseudomonas in bioremediation and waste treatment, highlighting the role of these bacteria in maintaining environmental health.
The publishers hope this themed collection will serve as a platform for early-career researchers to share their work, fostering collaboration and inspiring future innovations in Pseudomonas biotechnology, and invite original research articles and mini-reviews contributing to this rapidly evolving topic.
To find out more, visit the dedicated page here.