UW-Green Bay Prof. Brian Merkel part of the Tiny Earth Summer Symposium

The University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID) was the backdrop for the Tiny Earth Summer Symposium. UW-Green Bay Prof. Brian Merkel, Human Biology was co-chair of the event.

Plenary speakers included Jo Handelsman (Director of the WID) and recent inductee into the National Academy of Sciences, David Andes, Chief of Infectious Disease at UW-Madison and Cesar de la Fuente.  Jo discussed the soil crisis and David and Cesar discussed cutting edge approaches to Antibiotic Discovery.  David has focused on antibiotic production by bacteria found in leaf cutter ants and Cesar uses AI and machine learning to develop novel antibiotics.

Lisa Merkel and Bonnie Gonzales (CSET alum) were among the many exceptional presenters. After the symposium in Madison, Prof. Merkel traveled to Houston to share his insights about the Tiny Earth program and the impact it has on the local community and region at the ASM-Microbe with Angelo Kolokithas (NWTC.)

(photo) Prof. Merkel was surprised to see former CSET student Dana Schmidt, now at the Wisconsin State Hygiene Lab in Madison.