November Newsletter
MiM2025 Registration, BrisJAMS, Summer Awards and Visiting Speaker Dr Ami Bhatt (Stanford University)
Dear ASM QLD Members,
As we approach the end of 2025, we’re thrilled to share an exciting line-up of opportunities and events celebrating microbiology across Queensland!
🌟 Register Now — MiM2025!
📅 Saturday 22 November 2025 | 📍 Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus
Join microbiologists from across Queensland for our flagship annual meeting MiM2025, a day celebrating microbiology research across all disciplines.
Key speakers include:
Dr Michelle Wille — ARC Future Fellow, Doherty Institute
Prof Greg Cook — Professor of Microbiology, QUT
Dr Subir Sarker — Senior Lecturer, James Cook University
💡 Registration deadline: 14 November 2025
🎟 FREE for ASM members | $20 in-person | $5 online for non-members
👉 Register here via TryBooking: https://www.trybooking.com/DGRHL
💼 BrisJAMS & ASM QLD — Careers Beyond Academia
📅 Thursday 6 November 2025 | 🕕 6:00–8:00 PM | 📍 TRI Auditorium, Woolloongabba
Discover how accomplished scientists have built diverse careers outside academia and gain insight into pathways for success.
Speakers include:
Professor Michelle Hill — Founder & CEO, Proseek Bio Pty Ltd
Sukhmeet Kalley — Chief Scientist, Public Health Microbiology, Queensland Health
Dr Peter Kambouris — Director of Business Development, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity
🍕 Free food and drinks provided!
🔗 Register via QR code on the flyer or follow @brisjams.bsky.social
🌍 ASM Visiting Speaker Program — Dr Ami Bhatt (Stanford University)
🗓 Monday 17 November 2025 | 🕥 10:30 AM | 📍 TRI Auditorium, Woolloongabba
Talk: Deciphering Microbe–Host Communication
Join us for an exciting seminar with Professor Ami Bhatt, a Stanford physician–scientist pioneering research into microbial genomics and metagenomics. Her talk will explore how microbes interact with their hosts to influence health and disease.
🥗 Networking lunch to follow — students and ECRs encouraged to attend.
👉 Register for lunch here: https://forms.gle/DY68xCM696m8Ncma9
📩 Contact: j.kenyon@griffith.edu.au
☀️ Applications Now Open: ASM QLD Summer Research Awards!
The ASM QLD Branch is now accepting applications for the 2025–2026 Summer Research Awards.
These awards provide undergraduate and Honours students the opportunity to undertake a short (approx. 4-week) microbiology research project over summer.
🏆 Award Includes:
$1500 research grant
1-year ASM student membership
Oral presentation at the ASM QLD Nancy Millis Award Night (Feb 2026)
🧬 Eligibility:
Undergraduate or Honours students studying Microbiology or related disciplines
Supervised by a current ASM member with a microbiology research background
📅 Applications close: 5pm, Friday 21 November 2025
📧 Submit to: qldbranch@theasm.org.au
📄 See application form and flyer for more details
March 2025
March 2025
Afternoon ASMQ members,
Hope you are staying safe and well in the wake of this QLD weather. We have many announcements and opportunities to announce to our members.
MiM2025 & Nancy Millis Awards at Petrie campus, USC
On Saturday, 8 February, the beautiful Petrie Campus at the University of the Sunshine Coast hosted the Microbiology in Moreton Bay (MiM2025) event combined with the Nancy Millis Awards. We extend our heartfelt thanks to local organiser Dr. Martina Jelocnik – ASM-Q Engagement Officer – and her team of dedicated volunteers, including those running the registration desk gifting out chocolates, lollies, and raffle tickets for attendees, ensuring a successful day. Special thanks also go to Dr. Samuel Phillips for his outstanding on-site technical support.
Attendance: 60 participants (47 in-person, 14 online)
Nancy Millis Student Awards:
Winner: Lachlan Walker (UQ)
Research: “Emergence of Carbapenem-Resistant Escherichia coli ST167 as a Significant Cause of Urinary Tract Infection”
Runner-up: Riya Joshi (UQ)
Research: “Metabolism to the Rescue - Unveiling the Role of Pyrimidine Salvage in Haemophilus influenzae”
Sponsorship & Lecture: We thank the Simmons Trust once again, with the Simmons Trust Lecture delivered by Professor Ruth Zadoks (University of Sydney) on “Group B Streptococcus – a veterinary molecular epidemiologist’s journey through space, time, and publication bias.”
ASMQ ECR Award 2025
A huge congratulations to our ASMQ Early Career Researcher (ECR) award presenters for their outstanding three-minute presentations:
Winner: Johanna Richter (UQ)
Runner-up: Rhys Parry (UQ)
We look forward to seeing these presentations at #ASM2025.
Follow Us on Bluesky!
We are excited to announce that the ASM QLD Branch is now on Bluesky! Stay updated with our latest news and events by following our new account: @asmqld.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/asmqld.bsky.social
ASM Student & ECR International Travel Award
Don’t miss the opportunity to apply for the ASM Student & ECR International Travel Award. This initiative offers four awards annually:
Two awards for PhD student ASM members
Two awards for Early Career Researcher (ECR) ASM members (up to five years post-PhD)
Application Deadline: 31 March
For more details and to apply, visit: ASM Travel Award.
Highlighting the LGBTQIA+ Microbiology Network
We're excited to bring attention to the LGBTQIA+ Microbiology Network, originally launched in 2022 by the NSW/ACT Branch. This vibrant initiative has been hosting both online and face-to-face events, spotlighting microbiologists' research and personal stories within the LGBTQIA+ community and their supportive allies.
Key Objectives:
Engagement: Foster meaningful connections within the LGBTQIA+ microbiology community.
Visibility: Enhance the profile of LGBTQIA+ researchers.
Career Advancement: Support the professional growth of community members.
Community Engagement: Encourage collaborative and inclusive dialogue.
Please look at the attached flyer for more details on the network, how to join and upcoming events.
Submit your interest in the ASM Communication Ambassador Program
The ASM is looking for Communication Ambassadors to represent the society and boost your professional profile by engaging in science communication and promoting ASM events and content. Applications close on 31st March. For more details please visit the ASM Communication Ambassador Program.