Joint MIMAS³-Flavo³ Symposium – Microbial Interactions in Marine Systems and Marine Flavobacteria

The upcoming Joint MIMAS³-Flavo³ Symposium combines the scientific scopes of the Microbial interactions in Marine Systems (MIMAS) and Marine Flavobacteria conference series to foster exchange across disciplines and strengthen a growing research community.

Marine microorganisms constantly interact with their biotic and abiotic environment, often forming intimate associations that shape ecosystem processes and global biogeochemical cycles. Among them, members of the family Flavobacteriaceae are abundant and diverse components of marine microbial communities. They occupy a wide range of ecological niches, from the water column and sediments to associations with algae, plants, and animals. Marine flavobacteria fulfill key ecological roles, including organic matter degradation, symbiosis, and pathogenicity, making them important contributors to marine ecosystem processes. Recent technological advances, including meta-omics and single-cell approaches, now allow unprecedented insights into microbial diversity and functions in situ. Large-scale sampling campaigns and meta-omics approaches have revealed remarkable taxonomic and functional diversity, as well as their central role in marine ecosystem functioning. At the same time, cultivation-based studies and detailed biochemical analyses remain essential to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying microbial interactions. Building on the MIMAS and Flavo conference series, this meeting will highlight research on microbial trophic interactions, symbioses, and the molecular basis of glycobiological processes, with a particular focus on flavobacteria linking ecological patterns to mechanistic understanding.

The MIMAS³-Flavo³-Symposium is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bonn, the Institute of Marine Biotechnology, the University of Greifswald and the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung, Essen.