# 27th Annual Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC)

> **NIH NIH R13** · MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $8,235

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC) is a well-respected and high-impact scientific meeting
that engages junior and established investigators studying microbial pathogenesis in the Midwest Region of the
United States. Since the first MMPC convened in 1994 at the University of Iowa, the meeting has been held
annually at alternating academic institutions across the Midwest. Between 250 – 350 undergraduate and
graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty participate in this meeting annually. The 27th annual MMPC
is being hosted by the Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing, Michigan from September 11th – 13th,
2020. This is the second time that the MMPC has been hosted by MSU and the institution is proud to lead and
promote excellent science in the Midwest. MMPC constitutes a major scientific venue that supports the
development of the next generation of research scientists with special emphasis upon inclusion of women and
researchers from underrepresented minority (URM) populations. In addition to providing an interactive and
engaging scientific forum for investigators to present their work and establish collaborations, MMPC fosters
networking between investigators and institutions across the Midwest. Regional accessibility, low cost, and
travel/registration support for 20 selected trainees allows MMPC to attract a diverse group of participants. In
keeping with MMPC's rich tradition, 85% of speakers invited to give oral presentations at MMPC 2020 will be
graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or Assistant Professors who are often formally presenting for the first
time after establishing their own laboratories. Talks from a smaller number of more established investigators also
are planned to encourage networking and collaboration. Five graduate students or postdoctoral fellows will be
chosen, based upon the merit of their submitted abstracts, and invited to present their research orally, providing
an invaluable opportunity to showcase their research in a collegial and interactive environment. We propose to
select 13 additional trainees from abstract submissions for registration waivers, focusing again on merit and
URM status. We also plan to provide registration fee waivers to at least 20 URM/female scholars to promote
diversity and provide opportunities for exploration of the field of Microbial Pathogenesis. MMPC 2020 also will
include an interactive career forum, led by a panel of scientists and educators from small colleges, industry,
private companies, and government labs. Finally, MMPC 2020 will feature a keynote presentation by Dr. Bonnie
Bassler (Princeton), who will present her latest research on quorum sensing signals and how they relate to
biofilm formation, host/pathogen communication, and bacterial pathogenesis. Through these combined activities,
MMPC will be supporting a variety of activities that are directly relevant to the missions of the National Institutes
of Health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10070675
- **Project number:** 1R13AI154968-01
- **Recipient organization:** MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Neal D. Hammer
- **Activity code:** R13 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $8,235
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10070675

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10070675, 27th Annual Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC) (1R13AI154968-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10070675. Licensed CC0.

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