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Announcing the Division of Evolutionary and Genomic Microbiology

Dear ASM Members:

Research and discoveries in microbial evolution and systematics permeate ASM journal articles as well as many of the seminar sessions at the ASM General Meeting. The rapidly expanding area of comparative microbial genome analysis is also intimately associated with evolution and systematics, from the identification of the role of lateral gene transfer in shaping microbes to proposing functions for proteins coded for by open reading frames. Indeed, evolutionary microbiology and comparative genomics are inseparable and natural partners. In recognition of this, and to better serve the ASM membership, Division R has now been restructured and renamed as the Division of Evolutionary and Genomic Microbiology. The new division description reads:

A forum for the study of microbial diversity and systematics, and development of the laboratory, bioinformatic and conceptual tools required to characterize and understand the evolution of genes, genomes and organisms.

The change was strongly supported by current members of the division, as well as the ASM leadership, and was recently ratified at the ASM Council meeting held at the 101st ASM General Meeting in Orlando.

ASM members working in areas such as comparative genomics, bioinformatics and computational biology now have a division to interact with one another and with other members whose interests include evolution, diversity and systematics, databases, culture collections, and the classification of microbial life. Along with the divisional name and description changes, there are now a total of seven subject categories for Division R poster presentations at the ASM annual meetings:

R1 Molecular Systematics

R2 Taxonomy, Classification and Culture Collections

R3 Novel Organisms

R4 Microbial Evolution

R5 Comparative Genomics

R6 Bioinformatics and Databases

R7 Computational Analyses and Methods

Accordingly, we invite you to consider making Division R - the Division of Evolutionary and Genomic Microbiology - your primary or secondary scientific division affiliation.

Thomas Schmidt
Advisor, Division R
Michigan State University, East Lansing

Matthew Kane
Chair, Division R
National Science Foundation
Arlington, Va.

Daniel Dykhuizen
Chair-Elect, Division R
State University of New York, Stony Brook

Frederick Rainey
Councilor, Division R
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

Katharine Field
Alternate Councilor, Division R
Oregon State University, Corvallis