Microbial predation conference

We are happy to announce that the Microbial Predation Conference will be held in Monte Verità, Switzerland on July 27-31, 2026.

Join us in lovely Ticino, Switzerland to discuss what microbial predation (including by phages!) looks like, how it originates and evolves, and how it shapes microbial communities. Researchers studying diverse aspects of microbial predation with different predator-prey systems will gather to promote conceptual synthesis across systems and questions.

Registration and program structure are expected to be available in early March. Register at this link for conference updates: microbialpredation.ethz.ch

Invited speakers include:
Lutz Becks – University of Constance, Germany
Yen-Ping Hsueh – Max-Planck Institute for Biology, Tuebingen, Germany
Andrew Lovering – University of Birmingham, UK
Joan Strassmann – Washington University in St. Louis, USA
David Queller – Washington University in St. Louis, USA
Renske van Raaphorst – University of Groningen, The Netherlands

With the Conference on Microbial Predation 2026, we seek to bring together microbial-predation researchers who rarely meet under a single scientific umbrella, including molecular microbiologists, ecologists, evolutionary biologists, theoreticians, and biocontrol researchers, promoting integration across microbial systems and connection with concepts largely associated with macroscopic predators. The conference provides a forum where diverse perspectives can converge to build shared conceptual frameworks, new interdisciplinary collaborations can be initiated, and the global community of microbial-predation researchers can more deeply interconnect.

We welcome researchers working with animals who want to think more about microbial predation.

Major themes:
Molecular mechanisms
Behaviors
Ecology
Evolution
Social aspects of predation
Applications

Scientific organisers: Greg Velicer (ETH Zürich, Switzerland) and Marie Vasse (CNRS – University of Bordeaux, France)

For administrative questions, please contact us at microbialpredation2026@ethz.ch.

Please do not hesitate to circulate this announcement 🙂