EAM highlights in FEMS 2023: from the Petri dish to planet Earth

On 9-13 July 2023, the 10th FEMS Congress took place in Hamburg, Germany. As part of this major event in European microbiology, the European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) organized two full sessions. One of these sessions aimed to highlight the research of four recently elected EAM fellows and saw presentations on bacterial group behaviours and development of resistance to antibiotics, as well as on new RNA viruses including bacteriophages and giant viruses of amoebae. The other session included five frontline environmental microbiologists who showcased real-world examples of how human activities have disrupted the balance in microbial ecosystems, not just to assess the current situation but also to explore fresh approaches for coping with external disturbances. Both sessions were very well attended, and no doubt helped to gain the EAM and its fellows more visibility.