Format of workshop

We invite international participation from up to 70 individuals with expertise in relevant disciplines, e.g.: 

• Biochemistry (the molecular mechanisms of microbial energy conservation)
• Physical organic chemistry (understanding the thermodynamic properties of key biomolecules involved in energy metabolism)
• Microbiology (culture-based approaches to quantify microbial energy requirements)
• Biogeochemistry/microbial ecology (quantification of microbial energy fluxes in natural ecosystems)
• Bioenergetic theory (development of a broad energetic habitability criterion).  

The workshop program will combine formal presentations with group discussion:

Invited Presentations

A plenary lecture will be given on the opening evening of the workshop. Leading scientists representing diverse disciplines will present 30 min invited talks to frame and define the current state of knowledge in microbial bioenergetics and to provide a basis for subsequent group discussion.

Contributed Oral and Poster Presentations

The workshop format will allow for presentation of an unlimited number of posters and a smaller number of 20 min contributed talks.  Contribution of abstracts for poster or oral presentation is encouraged from all participants but is not a requirement of attendance.  Submitted abstracts should specify a preference, if any, for poster or oral presentation.

Working groups

Several working groups will be organized and asked to develop and summarize findings and recommendations relative to the stated goals of the workshop, during two breakout sessions.  Working group themes will be developed at the time of the workshop, based on the relevant expertise of participants. 

Publication

Participants are asked to provide an abstract of their presentation. Program and abstracts will be printed and distributed to participants before the workshop. There is no manuscript requirement for published workshop proceedings. However, participants will be invited to submit a manuscript to a planned special issue of “Frontiers in Extreme Microbiology” with a deadline after the Workshop (deadline to be announced later).