The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) will participate in the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS) Congress, in Lisbon, Portugal, from 4–6 November 2026. Through a dedicated scientific symposium and a presence in the exhibition area, HFSP will highlight the importance of frontier research, interdisciplinary approaches and international collaboration in advancing fundamental discoveries in the life sciences.
Meet HFSP at the Exhibition Area
Throughout the congress, HFSP will be present in the exhibition area, offering participants the opportunity to learn more about its research grants and fellowships programs and initiatives, as well as HFSP Masterclasses and webinars.
HFSP Symposium: Frontier Research in Microbiology
On 5 November, HFSP will host a special symposium bringing together internationally recognized researchers to present innovative approaches to some of the most challenging questions in microbiology.
This session will provide an overview of ongoing frontier research in microbiology, introducing research concerning the evolution of microbial communities in the environment, the ever-challenging arms race in the host-microbe interaction, and contemporary approaches to study viral entry and reproduction in host cells. The session aims to introduce, in particular to young researchers, the advantages of interdisciplinary research in an international context with examples of clinical and environmental microbiology.
Program
HFSP Symposium: Thursday, 5 November 2026 | 16:40–17:55 | Room 5A
 | 16:40 - 16:45 OPENING REMARKS by Gisa Gerold, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria |
 | 16:45 - 17:00 THE AFRICAN MICROBIOME PROJECT by Thulani Makhalanyane, Stellenbosch University, South Africa |
 | 17:00 - 17:15 UNDERSTANDING THE HOST-MICROBE ARMS RACE THROUGH THE TLR5-FLAGELLIN AXIS by Yi Han Tan, Max-Planck-Institute for Biology Tübingen, Germany |
 | 17:15 - 17:30 BACTERIAL SIGNALING MOLECULES AS MEDIATORS OF GUT-BRIAN DIALOGUES by Karina B. Xavier, Gulbenkian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Portugal |
| 17:30 - 17:45 VIRUSES AS BORDERLINERS: RECEPTOR USE IN INSECTS AND HUMANS by Gisa Gerold, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria |
 | 17:45 - 17:55 HFSP SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION IN BASIC RESEARCH IN THE LIFE SCIENCES by Guntram Bauer, Human Frontier Science Program Organization, France |
Event information
International Union of Microbiological Societies Congress (IUMS 2026)
4–6 November 2026 | Lisbon, Portugal