{"id":75,"date":"2021-06-21T18:37:52","date_gmt":"2021-06-21T18:37:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/?page_id=75"},"modified":"2026-03-16T13:59:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T13:59:55","slug":"organizers-topics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/program-info\/organizers-topics\/","title":{"rendered":"Organizers & Topics"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.3.4″ custom_margin=”-42px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.3.4″ custom_margin=”||11px|||”]

Organizers & Topics<\/h1>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.3.4″]

2026 Keynote Speakers:<\/h3>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_4,3_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ min_height=”320.6px” custom_margin=”-19px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/01\/Johnathon_Eisen.jpg” _builder_version=”4.3.4″ max_width=”85%” module_alignment=”center” min_height=”100px” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.3.4″ text_font_size=”13px” custom_margin=”|||-16px||”]

Jonathan A. Eisen<\/strong>, University of California, Davis<\/em><\/p>\n

Jonathan Eisen, PhD, is a Distinguished Professor at UC Davis with appointments in the Dept. of Evolution and Ecology in the College of Biological Sciences, the Dept. of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and the School of Medicine, and the Genome Center. Previously, he served on the Faculty at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) and Johns Hopkins University. He earned his PhD in Biological Sciences from Stanford University in 1998 and his AB in Biology from Harvard College in 1990. He is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.\u00a0<\/p>\n

His current research focuses on the evolution, ecology, genomics and function of microbes and microbiomes, especially those found in association with both domesticated and wild animal and plant hosts. Most of his work involves the use of high-throughput DNA sequencing methods to characterize microbes and the use and development of computational methods to analyze such data.<\/p>\n

In addition to his research, Dr. Eisen is heavily involved in science communication and open science activities.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_4,3_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ custom_margin=”-16px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/01\/Colleen-Cavanaugh_2.jpg” _builder_version=”4.3.4″ width=”100%” max_width=”85%” module_alignment=”center” min_height=”100px” custom_margin=”||-3px|||”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.3.4″ text_font_size=”13px” custom_margin=”|||-18px||” hover_enabled=”0″]

Colleen M. Cavanaugh<\/strong>, Harvard University<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Colleen M. Cavanaugh is the Edward C. Jeffrey Professor of Biology in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and an Adjunct Senior Research Scientist at the Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA.\u00a0 Her research interests center on microbial ecology and symbiosis with a particular emphasis on bacteria-animal associations and their diversity, transmission strategies, and coevolution of host and symbiont. She has participated in research cruises worldwide with deep-sea dives in the submersible Alvin. With expertise in the study of uncultured bacteria, her research has expanded from marine symbioses to the characterization of the microbiomes of human and wild animals including Darwin\u2019s finches. \u00a0She received her B.G.S. from the University of Michigan, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard.\u00a0 She was a Junior Fellow at Harvard and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.3.4″]

2026 Session Chairs:<\/h3>\n

Jack Gilbert<\/strong>,<\/em>\u00a0University of California-San Diego<\/em><\/p>\n

John Rawls<\/strong>,\u00a0Duke University<\/em><\/p>\n

Amelia Lindsey<\/strong><\/em>,\u00a0University of Minnesota<\/em><\/p>\n

Julia Oh<\/strong>,\u00a0Duke University<\/em><\/p>\n

Christopher Lane<\/strong>,<\/em>\u00a0University of Rhode Island<\/em><\/p>\n

Maggie Sogin<\/strong>,\u00a0University of California Merced<\/em><\/p>\n

Shai Bel<\/strong><\/em>, Bar-Ilan University<\/em><\/p>\n

Laura Knoll<\/b><\/em>,\u00a0University of Wisconsin-Madison<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

2026 Planning Committee:<\/h3>\n

Kevin Kohl<\/strong>, University of Hawaii<\/em><\/p>\n

Katherine Lemon<\/strong>, Baylor College of Medicine<\/em><\/p>\n

Kat Milligan-McClellan<\/strong>, University of Connecticut<\/em><\/p>\n

David Clarke, <\/strong>University of Cork<\/em><\/p>\n

Elizabeth Johnson<\/strong>, Cornell University<\/em><\/p>\n

Irene Newton<\/strong>, Indiana University <\/em>(ISS)<\/p>\n

Buck Samuel<\/strong>, Baylor College of Medicine<\/em><\/p>\n

Elizabeth Heath-Heckman<\/strong>, Michigan State University<\/em> (ISS)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.3.4″]

2026 Scientific Topics:<\/h3>\n

One Health and Beneficial Microbes<\/p>\n

Microbe-Host Interaction at the Molecular Scale I<\/p>\n

Microbe-Host Interactions at the Molecular Scale II<\/p>\n

Microbe-Host Interactions at the Ecological Scale<\/p>\n

Microbe-Host Interactions at the Ecological Scale II<\/p>\n

Microbe-Host Interactions at the Evolutionary Scale<\/p>\n

Emerging Concepts in Microbe-Host Dynamics<\/span><\/p>\n

New Approaches to Study Microbe-Host Crosstalk<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2026 Conference Co-Chairs:<\/h3>\n

Federico Rey<\/strong>, University of Wisconsin-Madison<\/em><\/p>\n

Rosanna A. Alegado<\/strong>,\u00a0University of Hawai\u02bbi, M\u0101noa<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.3.4″ custom_margin=”-42px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.3.4″ custom_margin=”||11px|||”] Organizers & Topics [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.3.4″] 2026 Keynote Speakers: [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_4,3_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″ min_height=”320.6px” custom_margin=”-19px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/01\/Johnathon_Eisen.jpg” _builder_version=”4.3.4″ max_width=”85%” module_alignment=”center” min_height=”100px” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.3.4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.3.4″ text_font_size=”13px” custom_margin=”|||-16px||”] Jonathan A. Eisen, University of California, Davis Jonathan Eisen, PhD, is a Distinguished Professor at UC Davis with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":73,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2026 Keynote Speakers:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jonathan A. Eisen<\/strong>, University of California, Davis<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colleen M. Cavanaugh<\/strong>, Harvard University <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

2026 Session Chairs:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jack Gilbert<\/strong>, University of California-San Diego<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amelia Lindsey<\/strong>, University of Minnesota<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laura Katz<\/strong>, Smith College<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laura Knoll<\/strong>, University of Wisconsin-Madison<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julia Oh<\/strong>, Duke University<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Rawls<\/strong>, Duke University<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maggie Sogin<\/strong>, University of California Merced<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2026 Conference Co-Chairs:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Federico Rey<\/strong>, University of Wisconsin-Madison<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rosanna A. Alegado<\/strong>, University of Hawai\u02bbi, M\u0101noa<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

2026 Scientific Topics:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One Health and Beneficial Microbes <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microbe-Host Interaction at the Molecular Scale I<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microbe-Host Interactions at the Molecular Scale II<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microbe-host interactions at the Ecological Scale<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microbe-Host Interactions at the Ecological Scale II<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microbe-host interactions at the Evolutionary Scale<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Approaches to Study Microbe-Host Crosstalk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2026 Planning Committee:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Kohl<\/strong>, University of Hawaii<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Katherine Lemon<\/strong>, Baylor College of Medicine<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kat Milligan-McClellan<\/strong>, University of Connecticut<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Clarke<\/strong>, <\/strong>University of Cork<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elizabeth Johnson<\/strong>, Cornell University<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Irene Newton<\/strong>, Indiana University <\/em>(ISS)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buck Samuel<\/strong>, Baylor College of Medicine<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elizabeth Heath-Heckman<\/strong>, Michigan State University<\/em> (ISS)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-75","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/75","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75"}],"version-history":[{"count":55,"href":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/75\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1201,"href":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/75\/revisions\/1201"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/73"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conferences.union.wisc.edu\/microbes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}