A REPORT FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE EUROPEAN

ACTINOMYCETES GROUP ON RECENT GROUP ACTIVITIES INCLUDING

THEIR FIFTH CONFERENCE

G. ALDERSON

University of Bradford, Dept.Biological Sciences, West Yorkshire BD7 1DP, UK

Code Number: AC93011
File Sizes:
     Text:  3K
     No associated graphic files.

"April in Paris" - how good the sound and how good the reality of the fifth conference of the European Actinomycetes Group (EAG). Our latest meeting took place during the weekend of 3-4th April in the historic setting of the Institut Pasteur in its 106th year. The fact that the meeting was a resounding scientific and social success was due to the efforts of our hosts Patrick Boiron and Jean Freney, who had done all of the hard work involved in the local organisation and to the high quality of scientific contributions.

The conference concentrated on Identification and Characterisation of Actinomycetes and Products of Actinomycetes with Antimicrobial Activity. Around one hundred active participants from across Europe (plus several who had travelled from further afield, including from the USA) enjoyed a full weekend of work and play in Paris. The conference was structured around three scientific sessions with 30 oral contributions and two poster sessions with a total of 60 posters. You will see from the abstracts that follow, that the scientific content was varied and stimulating. We intend to publish the contributions as a series of Reviews of Proceedings of the Conference in the near future in Research in Microbiology (established in 1887 as Annales de l'Institut Pasteur).

I retired from my post as Secretary General at this EAG meeting, after almost 10 years. During this time I have initiated and been involved with five working weekend conferences. As one of the founder members of the Group (in 1982), I am happy to report that the conferences have become know for their friendliness, lack of formality, open discussion and active exchange of information as well as for the quality of their science. We have welcomed talks from new researchers in the field, of actinomycete research, especially from postgraduate and postdoctoral scientists those at the bench! I look forward to the maintenance of these informal but effective "traditions" with the appointment of our new Secretary General, Alan McCarthy. I wish him well with his task.

For further information on future activities of the Group please contact:

Dr. Alan J. McCarthy, Secretary General of the EAG
Department of Genetics and Microbiology
University of Liverpool,
PO Box 147,
Liverpool L69 3BX
UK