The 2026 NC ASM Annual Meeting was a Huge Success!
On October 10, 2026, members of the North Carolina Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (NC ASM) gathered at the Popp-Martin Student Union at UNC Charlotte for our 2026 Annual Meeting. We want to extend our sincere gratitude to all students, researchers, faculty, sponsors, and attendees who contributed to making this year’s gathering such a vibrant exchange of scientific ideas!
Keynote Highlights
The meeting featured outstanding presentations highlighting cutting-edge microbial science across North Carolina and beyond:
- ASM Distinguished Lecturer: Dr. Maria Hadjifrangiskou (Vanderbilt University Medical Center) delivered a thought-provoking lecture on how E. coli establishes infection in the urinary tract and adapts to dynamic micro-environments in the host.
- NC Assistant Professor Lecturer: Dr. Bradley Tolar (UNC Wilmington) shared fascinating insights into the seasonality, abundance, and nitrogen-cycling roles of coastal Archaea from North Carolina’s estuaries out into the Gulf Stream.
Celebrating Research & Scientific Creativity
Beyond our keynote lectures, the day highlighted extraordinary talent across the state through student oral and poster presentations, as well as the annual Agar Art Competition. Congratulations to all of our presentation award winners and creative agar artists!
Special Thanks to Our Organizers & Sponsors
This event was made possible through the dedicated leadership of Organizing Committee Co-Chairs Brittany Johnson and Morgan Carter, along with committee members Ellen Wisner, Kristen Funk Johnson, Tonya Bates, Kirill Afonin, Quinton Krueger, Audrey Ward, Krishna Majithia, and Sam Suptela. We also deeply appreciate our Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsors whose generous support strengthens microbiology education and research across our region.
Thank you for being an essential part of our microbial research community!