Scope

This symposium focuses on three main topics:

• the preservation of microorganisms
• recent techniques for their identification
• bioprospecting and screening for microorganisms to be used in new applications

Techniques for maintenance and correct identification remain the key factors for successful and safe handling of microorganisms. Only viable and accurately characterised microorganisms allow the development of reproducible bioprocesses and products. Controls for purity and identity of strains are necessary to achieve optimal yields and well-defined products, as well as safety for personnel.

The preservation of microorganisms as the fundamental source of value for biotech companies is important for long-term storage, for culture collections and manufacturers of starter cultures, and for the transport of strains. Recently there has been a shift from “classical” microbiological to more “molecularly-oriented” techniques for the identification of microorganisms.

Modern techniques that allow rapid, accurate, cost-effective and simple identification of bacteria are now being used in medical microbiology, environmental studies and biotechnology.