Impressions: 2nd Young Investigator Research Day

The 2nd Young Investigator Research Day (YIRD) of the CRC 1182: Origin and Function of Metaorganisms took place on June 27th 2018 at Atelierhaus im Anscharpark, Kiel, Germany. The YIRD serves as a platform for discussions and networking of early career scientists (MSc student, PhD students, PostDocs) in the field of host-microbe-environment interactions. Participants of any discipline are highly encouraged to present their research in a short talk or poster.

The following international researchers were welcomed as guests, held keynote lectures and provided valuable career input for the young scientists:

• Hassan Salem, Emory University Atlanta, USA
  Hassan Salem is a Feodor Lynen Postdoctoral Fellow (Humboldt Foundation) at Emory University, Department of Biology, Atlanta, Georgia. His research aims at elucidating the evolutionary ecology of host-microbe interactions. A core aim of his research is to study symbioses across multiple levels of biological organization, from the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying the initiation and maintenance of these partnerships, to the ecological and genetic consequences of co-evolution.
• Christoph Reinhardt, CTH Mainz, Germany
  Christoph is junior professor at the Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH) in Mainz, Germany. His research focuses on the role of the microbiota in thrombosis and cellular homeostasis of the intestinal mucosa mainly using gnotobiotic mice.
• Pamela Schnupf, INSERM CR1 Paris, France
  Pamela is a team leader at Institut Imagine, Laboratory of Intestinal Immunity at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), Paris. Her research aims to better understand the interplay between the host and its commensal gut microbiota, specifically Segmented Filamentous Bacteria (SFB), which have potent immunostimmulatory effects. To that end she developed an in vitro culturing system for the previously unculturable SFB.

Among all scientific presentations and posters, prices were awarded for the best talk and the best poster. Laureates were voted by all conference attendees.
Best talk: Kai Rathje, CAU Kiel, Zoological Institute
Best poster: Roxana Pfefferkorn, CAU Kiel, Zoological Institute

Prices were kindly sponsored by: Institut Allergosan & QIAGEN