Scientists and researchers from all over the world who work on Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, and B. cereus and B. thuringiensis, two closely related bacilli, will be heading to Victoria, British Columbia in September.

The bi-annual conference, set for Sept. 1-5, will allow members of the regional scientific community to present their work and meet more than 300 global peers.

"World renowned scientists studying genomics, epidemiology, ecology, cell structure and function, gene regulation, bacterial development, toxins and bacteria-host interactions of these species will present their work," said Bacillus ACT 2013 Co-Chair Paul Jackson of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).

Experts interested in rapid diagnostics, vaccine development, therapeutics and methods of decontamination also will be participating in this conference, which was last held in 2011 in Bruges, Belgium, Jackson said.

Image courtesy of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

"The benefit of choosing international destinations is that we can tap into local knowledge and bring global expertise together in one location. Delegates meet and form friendships and collaborations that may never have happened if they had not come to this conference," he added.

Jackson said Victoria, British Columbia, was chosen for its reputation as a destination and access to scientific hubs in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, and across California. This year's conference is organized and sponsored by LLNL's Global Security Principal Directorate, which applies multidisciplinary science and technology to anticipate, innovate and deliver responsive solutions to complex global security needs.

And, due to the high caliber of the delegates, the conference also attracts patrons, allowing them to showcase their technology, capabilities and products to this international community of researchers.

The deadline for submitting abstracts is May 15, 2013, and notification of acceptance will be sent no later than June 21. For more information, visit the Web or call Stacy Castro at 925-424-2797. Early registration (until April 15) is $575 USD.

About Bacillus ACT

The main mission of the Bacillus ACT 2013 conference is to promote stimulating and fruitful interactions among investigators involved in research related to the physiology, genetics, molecular biology, pathogenesis and ecology of these three closely related bacteria and their kin.