EXELISIS Co-organised MicrobeTech 2025: A European Event on Microbial Biotechnology
– 27-29 May 2025, Ljubljana, Slovenia
From May 27 to 29, 2025, EXELISIS co-organised the MicrobeTech 2025 European event, held at the Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The event was a joint initiative coordinated by JSI, the University of Burgos (UBU), IDENER, and EXELISIS with the support of the BIOSYSMO and BIOREM projects.
MicrobeTech 2025 attracted over 120 participants and offered a rich three-day programme focused on microbial biotechnology, sustainability, and advanced technologies. The event aimed to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration across disciplines, with a particular emphasis on the latest developments in bioremediation methodologies and the future of the field.
The scientific programme was curated by a dedicated committee composed of Ales Lapanje (JSI), Rocío Barros (UBU), Sara Gil (IDENER), and Tomaz Rijavec (JSI). Their expertise ensured the delivery of a high-quality event. The organising committee also included communication managers from the BIOSYSMO and BIOREM projects: Ioanna Katsavou (EXELISIS) and Beatriz Lapuente (UBU).
Programme Highlights
Tuesday, May 27
The opening day featured an international workshop with 17 presentations from experts representing universities, research centres, and companies across Europe. The sessions were structured into four thematic blocks:
- Bridging the Lab-Field Gap in Bioremediation
- Microbial Deployment Strategies
- Expanding Applications Beyond Bioremediation
- Challenges, Regulation and Future Directions
Speakers included representatives from institutions such as IRNAS-CSIC, University of Pisa, University of Bologna, University of Milan, University of Surrey, University of Applied Sciences of Switzerland, and Imperial College London, as well as companies like Kepler and Leitat.
Wednesday, May 28
The second day of MicrobeTech 2025 was dedicated to early-career researchers, with a special focus on PhD students and young scientists working in the field of microbial biotechnology. The day featured a summer school programme designed to provide advanced training and foster knowledge exchange between emerging researchers and established experts.
The morning began with a series of high-level presentations:
- Cristina Esteban (BIOSCAYLE) opened the session with a talk titled “Evolving Bioinformatics:
- Following this, Akanksha Mishra, Alejandro González Brincau, and Marta Franco (IDENER) presented “From Omics to Models: Extracting Functional Information for Bioremediation Design”.
After a short coffee break, the programme continued with:
- Marco Candela (University of Bologna) delivering a talk on “Constructing Networks in Microbiome Science: Advancing Our Understanding of Microbial Ecology and Behavior”.
- The morning concluded with Ana Paula, who presented “Microbial-Assisted Phytoremediation: Tackling Pollution in Saltmarshes”. T
In the afternoon, participants joined a field trip to Idrija, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its historical mercury mine. The visit provided a unique opportunity to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world environmental challenges, particularly in the context of heavy metal contamination and site remediation.
Thursday, May 29
The final day focused on networking and technical meetings between teams from the BIOSYSMO and BIOREM projects, aimed at strengthening collaboration and advancing shared goals. Poster sessions ran throughout the event, showcasing cutting-edge research from across Europe.
Find out more: https://www.biosysmo.eu/microbetech-2025/
