Petri dishes, phages, and public speaking - at the LAM ECS Research Symposium 2025

Applied Microbiology International held their fourteenth annual Letters in Applied Microbiology Early Career Scientist Research Symposium on June 12th, 2025.

Hosted at the University of Liverpool, the event offered early career scientists a valuable platform to present their research, network with peers, and meet the AMI teams for publishing, policy, and membership.

The primary focus of the event was providing early career scientists with opportunities to share their research in a poster session and a series of short talks. Members of the AMI teams were welcoming and approachable, creating a supportive environment that made it easy to feel comfortable and confident.

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The keynote speech by Wellcome Trust Research Fellow Dr Claudia Igler and the Q&A session with a diverse panel of experienced researchers were the highlights of the day.

Keynote speech on phage therapy

After AMI Chief Executive Dr Lucy Harper welcomed attendees at the University of Liverpool, the symposium settled into its morning programme, which included the much-anticipated keynote speech. Dr Claudia Igler, from the University of Manchester, presented her research titled “Unlocking the Potential of Phage Therapy in Combatting Antibiotic Resistance”.

Claudia’s multidisciplinary background in Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, and Microbiology led her to investigating mechanisms of microbial ecology and evolution.

In her speech, she shared some of her work which explores engineering phages to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Not only was Claudia’s work fascinating, but it also demonstrated the wider value of cross-disciplinary training to the audience.

Short talks and accolades

Two 15-minute talk sessions were split between the morning and afternoon, with insightful talks from all speakers. Two presenters were awarded for their talks - Jessica Mcloughlin from Edge Hill University for her talk about the effect of oestrogen receptor modulation on pathogen clearance by macrophages and Phebie Watson from Liverpool John Moores University for her presentation on necro-ecology and the soil microbiome.

Another new presentation concept was trialled in this year’s symposium, named the “3-minute, 3-slide Challenge”. It challenged students to present their research in a succinct and engaging manner, providing valuable experience in public speaking. Hollie Milton, Cardiff Metropolitan University, received a prize for her captivating talk on the determination of Mycoplasma pneumoniae macrolide resistance.

A special mention also to Dr Thomas Thompson from Queen’s University Belfast, whose innovative cold plasma presentation was engaging and left a lasting impression on the audience.

Expert panel shared advice with ECS attendees

In the afternoon, Prof. Emmanuel Adukwu invited the audience to ask questions to a diverse panel of researchers including Dr Sarah Essilfie-Quaye, Professor Jo Fothergill, Dr Sola Adeleke, Dr Faizan Sadiq, and Dr Hayley Lavender.

Although the day was nearing the end, the audience was still eager to hear expert perspectives and advice on topics like coping with setbacks and failed experiments, re-locating for an academic career, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The session was received incredibly well and left the audience feeling inspired and comforted knowing that many roads can lead to success.

Posters and fun competitions by the AMI teams

There were over 60 posters presented throughout the venue, covering a wide range of microbiological applications from healthcare, to pest management, and food safety. The poster sessions provided the perfect environment to mingle and get to know other researchers, opening the opportunity for future collaborations.

The AMI teams for policy and membership held fun competitions which resulted in multiple students winning cash prizes and other rewards. Ebrahim Takulla won the Policy Quiz competition, which promised a mystery prize that turned out to be a phage plush toy.

Ebrahim took to LinkedIn to share his joy: ” … winning the Policy Quiz Competition and receiving a T4 bacteriophage plush toy as a prize—a fitting reminder that even phages can be charming in the right context”.

Community spirit made the day

Throughout the day, the atmosphere was fun and friendly thanks to a mix of insightful talks, fun challenges, and community spirit - inspiring confidence in ECS to share their research and connect with one another.

Academic events can be intimidating for budding researchers, and opportunities for ECS are not readily available nor accessible for everyone. Thanks to the AMI Student Travel Bursary, participation was widened to those otherwise unable to attend, reinforcing AMI’s commitment to supporting the next generation of microbiologists.

The LAM ECS Symposium not only left participants with accolades and confidence, but with new connections and a greater appreciation for the diverse topics in microbiological research.