Inspirational Insights and Encounters: Microverse Symposium 2023 Culminates with Film Premiere at the Planetarium Jena

After two eventful days (4.-5.9.23) filled with discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities, participants of this year's Microverse Symposium reflect on an inspiring event.

Organized by our Microverse Cluster, the symposium brought together various scientists from the Jena science landscape for the first time, who exchanged ideas on microorganisms with the following focal points:

  • Microbial balance and dysbalance
  • Microbial interactions with hosts and environment
  • Microbial communication
  • Methodological advances
  • The challenges of Big Data

Highlights of the conference were – among others – the keynotes by our invited speakers Melanie Schirmer from Technical University Munich and Matthew Sullivan from Ohio State University, who both presented excerpts of their research, and offered numerous ideas for further discussions.

In addition, the symposium offered different networking opportunities where the participants could make contacts, and exchange ideas.

At the end of the symposium, our attendees looked forward to the world premiere of the film "Into the Microverse - Journey through an amazing world of microbes" at the historic Planetarium Jena. The film was produced within the framework of our Cluster in cooperation with the University of Jena, and its graduate school ‘Jena School for Microbial Communication’ as well as many other research partners and sponsors.

The 360-degree adventure transported the premiere guests into the world of the microverse. With the film, the Microverse Cluster aims to show the importance of microorganisms for the health of living beings and their influence on processes in ecosystems. The 15-minute film will soon be available for download in English and German here on our website.

We would like to thank all participants, speakers, and everyone who contributed to the success of this conference, and are already looking forward to the next edition next year.

Pictures: © Balance of the Microverse | Tina Peißker