Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Department of Microbiology-Immunology

2023 Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference

Join us for the 29th annual conference, Oct. 20-22, 2023, in downtown Chicago.

About MMPC

Since 1994, the Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC) has brought together investigators from the Midwest region of the United States to present and discuss recent advances in the field of microbial pathogenesis. This is the premier regional conference in the Midwest that features oral presentations by new assistant professors, newly recruited senior scientists in the region and trainees in the oral and poster sessions. There is an emphasis to included scientists of all levels that are underrepresented in the field of microbiology. The MMPC provides an excellent opportunity for students, fellow and faculty alike to renew old friendships and make important new contacts. We are pleased to welcome the keynote speaker Eric Skaar, PhD, MPH, the Ernest W. Goodpasture Chair in Pathology at Vanderbilt University.

See past conferences >>

Key Dates

  • Registration Open: May 1, 2023
  • Registration Close: Aug. 31, 2023
  • Abstract Open: May 1, 2023
  • Oral Abstract Submission Deadline: July 31, 2023
  • Oral Abstract Notification: Aug. 25, 2023
  • Poster Abstract Submission Deadline: Aug. 15, 2023
  • Lodging Deadline: Aug. 31, 2023
  • Cancellation Deadline: Sept. 15, 2023
  • Journal of Bacteriology Manuscript Submission: Jan. 31, 2024

Conference Schedule

  • Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, 4 - 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Confirmed Invited Speakers

The opening session will be led by Mark Mandel, PhD, and JD Sauer, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The keynote speaker is Eric Skaar, PhD, MPH, of Vanderbilt University.

Additional confirmed speakers include:

An additional four to five trainee speakers will be selected from abstracts.

Registration: Open May 1 - Aug. 31, 2023

Pricing

  • Undergraduate Student: TBD
  • Graduate Student/Predoctoral Trainee: TBD
  • Postdoctoral/Clinical Fellow: TBD
  • Research Staff: TBD
  • Faculty: TBD
  • Industry: TBD
  • Invited Speakers/Sponsor: TBD

Payment

Accepted credit cards include Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

Please make all checks out to:

Northwestern University
Basic Science Administration
Attn: Elsie Owen or Alice Camacho, MMPC2023
303 East Chicago Avenue
Ward Building, 8-296
Chicago, Illinois 60611

Cancellations

All cancellations must be made in writing to MMPC2023@northwestern.edu by Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in order to receive a partial refund. A $50 processing and handling fee will be assessed for all cancellations made by the deadline. Cancellations after Sept. 15, 2023 will not receive a refund. 

By registering, you agree to follow our conference Code of Conduct.

The Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference is dedicated to the open sharing of scientific ideas. Thus, we support a respectful environment for all participants in this conference. We are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin or other protected characteristics. We expect all attendees to help us ensure a safe and positive conference experience in which participants can discover, examine critically and transmit knowledge that will improve the quality of life for all.

All participants are expected to treat others with respect and consideration and alert conference organization or venue security of any dangerous situations or anyone in distress. Please respect others with social media postings. Refrain from photographing, recording or videotaping during oral presentations or during poster sessions. Please do not post images with data or people without express permission. Please do not post data from posters without express permission. Please do not post data from oral presentations if the presenter has asked that the materials not be shared on social media. Violators may be asked to leave the session.

We will not tolerate any form of harassment or bullying. Harassment is defined as unwanted and unwelcome attention or other conduct that creates an environment where a reasonable person would feel unwelcome, intimidated, excluded or abused. Harassment based on gender, race, religion, national origin, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, disability and any other personal characteristic is strictly prohibited. Inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces, and presentations is considered a violation of the meeting Code of Conduct and will not be tolerated.

If a participant experiences or witnesses harassment, the participant should contact Conference Organizers (Hank Seifert and Frances Yap) as soon as possible or contact security if they feel unsafe. Event security and local police may be contacted if violators pose an imminent threat to others or are disrupting the event. Individuals may also report incidences via the Northwestern University Office of Equity to report outside of the Microbial Pathogenesis community.

All event participants also are expected to follow conference and venue rules, along with all applicable laws and policies for the event (e.g., public health policies/recommendations). Violation of this code of conduct may result in the participant being asked to leave the conference, without warning or refund; and/or being barred from attending future conferences.

This policy applies to all conference attendees, speakers, exhibitors and guests. 

Submissions Open May 1, 2023

Registration must be completed prior to beginning an abstract submission. The link to the abstract submission site is in your registration confirmation email.

The author indicated as the presenter will receive an email confirming the receipt of the abstract. Please notify your co-authors that the confirmation was received.

You will need the following information to begin your submission:

  • Contact information for the presenting author and the principal investigator
  • Names and affiliations for all authors

Abstract Guidelines

  • Abstracts must be received by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Monday, July 31, 2023 (consideration for Oral Presentation), or Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023 (consideration for Poster Presentation only)
  • Maximum length of 250 words
  • One abstract is allowed per registration
  • Submissions will print exactly as submitted 
  • One abstract will be allowed per registration
  • All abstracts must be submitted and presented in English with a quality of spelling and grammar suitable for publication
  • Proposals constituting sales pitches for products or services will not be considered

Review Procedures

  • All submissions are reviewed by the Conference Organizing Committee
  • Notifications on oral presentations will be made by Friday, Aug. 25, 2023
  • Notifications will be made by email to the presenting author
  • Any oral presentations not chosen for an oral presentation will receive a poster presentation

All program and logistical questions should be directed to conference organizers at MMPC2023@northwestern.edu.

Special Issue of Journal of Bacteriology

There will be a special issue of the American Society for Microbiology Journal of Bacteriology that will highlight work presented at the MMPC 2023. For more information, see a message from the handling editor:

Dear MMPC attendees,

To confirmed speakers and poster presenters at the 2023 Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference, I am writing, in consultation with the meeting co-chairs Hank Seifert and Frances Yap, to let you know that I am serving as the editor for a special series in Journal of Bacteriology focusing on this meeting.

I am proposing a submission deadline of Jan. 31, 2024. Papers would go through the normal submission and review process (access submission site). My average days‐to‐first decision (i.e., when you submit until when I send the first decision letter) is 15 days. So, I would make sure submissions would move along quickly.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Sincerely,

Editor, Journal of Bacteriology
Patricia A. Champion, PhD
Director for Postdoctoral Studies, College of Science
Professor, Biological Sciences
University of Notre Dame
217 Galvin Life Sciences Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556

Conference Site

The conference will be held on our downtown Chicago Campus in the Thorne Auditorium in the Arthur Rubloff Building (375 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611), located on the southwest corner of E. Chicago Ave. and N. Lake Shore Dr.

Parking

Conference attendees may receive discounted on-campus parking during conference hours. Details will be available at a later date. 

Quick Links

Lodging 

Discounted Hotel Rates

Discounted blocks have been reserved at Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile (633 N. St Clair St., Chicago, IL 60611). Room rates at $229 per night plus tax with small upcharges for double or triple occupancy. All rooms are subject to availability.

To book, visit the Hyatt Centric's dedicated website for MMPC registrants. If you need additional assistance, please contact the hotel at 877-803-7534.

Travel to Chicago

By Plane

Chicago is home to two international airports – O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Midway International Airport (MDW). Both O’Hare and Midway are within easy reach of downtown Chicago, lying 16 miles and 11 miles away from the city respectively.

Transportation to/from O’Hare and Midway

Flight Resources

By Train 

Union Station, the city’s commuter rail service, serves both Amtrak and Metra. Additionally, the Ogilvie Transportation Center serves the three commuter rail lines of Metra’s Union Pacific District, which approach the terminal elevated above street level. There are also two Metra stations in the Loop: Millennium Station on the Metra Electric District line and Lasalle Street Station on the Rock Island District Line.

Amtrak

With 21,000 miles of routes across the United States and Canada, Amtrak offers more than 300 high-speed trains to more than 500 destinations daily. Find Amtrak routes and fares.

Metra 

The high-speed Metra commuter rail train is a fast and easy way to connect outlying suburbs to downtown Chicago. Find fares and route maps.

South Shore Line

South Shore Line serves Chicago through Northern Indiana to the South Bend Airport. Call (219) 874-4221 ext. 245 for group rates. Find South Shore Line routes and fares.

By Car

Chicago is accessible via several major interstates and highways: I-90 (Kennedy Expressway), I-94 (Dan Ryan Expressway), I-55 (Stevenson Expressway), I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway) and I-294 (Tri-State Tollway).

View an interactive parking map of downtown Chicago to search for public parking lots and garages by address and points of interest.

Want to pay for parking in advance? Find the perfect Chicago parking spot by comparing price, location, and amenities. You can reserve your spot now with Parking.com, iParkit, Millennium Garages or SpotHero.

Find average drive times to Chicago. And find traffic and road conditions from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

By Bus

Total Charter Bus Chicago

If you’re headed to Chicago from a Midwestern metropolis like Detroit, Indianapolis or St. Louis, a private charter bus is an option. Charter buses include free WiFi, reclining seats, panoramic windows and plenty of legroom. Find a private charter bus.

Greyhound 

Greyhound has five Chicagoland locations, including two 24-hour stations and 20 express routes to major U.S. cities. Find Greyhound stations.

Megabus.com

Megabus is a budget-friendly, city-to-city service. Find Megabus stations and rates.

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Contact Us

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Department of Microbiology-Immunology
Attn: MMPC 2023 (Hank Seifert or Frances Yap)
320 E Superior St
Searle Building 3-402
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 503-3793; (312) 503-9788
MMPC2023@northwestern.edu

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST. Follow us on Twitter at @MMPConference and on LinkedIn.

Organizing Committee

Career Panel Organizing Committee

  • Nicole Inniss, PhD, Postdoc (Satchell Lab), Northwestern University
  • Anna Liponska, PhD, Postdoc (Yap Lab), Northwestern University
  • Marine Lebrun, Graduate Student (Hauser Lab), Northwestern University
  • Alberto Lopez, Graduate Student (Cianciotto Lab), Northwestern University

Administrative Support

Basic Science Administration, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

  • Matt Temkin, Executive Department Administrator
  • Alice Camacho, Associate Director for Financial Administration
  • Colleen De Luca, Associate Director of Professional Affairs
  • Wesley Gryziak, Program Assistant
  • Kelly Hamm-Oscar, Research Administrator
  • Yesenia Navarro, Communications Specialist
  • Elsie Owen, Financial Assistant