FEMS 2017, the European microbiology congress, will be held in Valencia, Spain, July 9-13, 2017
29 December 2016

FEMS 2017, the 7th congress of FEMS (Federation of European Microbiological Societies) will be hosted by the Spanish Society for Microbiology (SEM). More than 2’000 participants from all over the world are expected in Valencia from July 9 to 13 to attend this event, which is offering 6 plenary lectures, 32 symposia, 24 workshops, poster discussion sessions, and several special events such as how to publish a paper, or from research to start-up creation, or education. All the domains of microbiology will be considered, including basic and applied research, environment and medical microbiology, microbial cell structure, genetics, antimicrobial resistance, mycology, virology, food microbiology, bioremediation, climate changes, etc..

Additional information: FEMS 2017

A scientific paper has been published in FEMS Microbiology Letters on the emergence of transferable colistin resistance (first published online: 11 February 2016)
24 May 2016
Jean-Claude Piffaretti is the author of a paper entitled "Antibiotic resistance: the emergence of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance enhances the need of a proactive one-health approach" published in February 2016 in the journal FEMS Microbiology Letters. Indeed the discovery in several countries worldwide (including Switzerland) of a transferable plasmidic resistance to colistin (a last resort antibiotic to fight multiresistant bacteria) is raising great concern. Up to now, the plasmidic colistin resistance gene (mcr-1) has been found mainly in microorganisms harboured by livestock and raw meat, but humans have been also infected with bacterial strains carrying this resistance. A few bacteria from environmental samples carrying the plasmidic gene have been isolated as well. This finding stresses that the antibiotic resistance issue must be addressed in a holistic way, involving, in addition to human medicine, also veterinary medicine, agriculture and environment. This approach, currently identified as the One-Health approach, is now considered essential in the implementation plans to fight antibiotic resistance that are being established by an increasing number of countries. The paper can be found under "Publications".

Interview published by the Corriere del Ticino on the antibiotic resistance crisis (August 26th, 2015)
19 May 2016
Jean-Claude Piffaretti, founder of Interlifescience, released an interview (in Italian) to the Corriere del Ticino: "Towards a post-antibiotics world". This is a worrying situation, that needs urgent actions both at the national and international levels. Read the interview under "Publications".