Schedule

Registration is located in northeast wing of Centennial Centre For Interdisciplinary Sciences (CCIS) Bldg's lower level (L1) near the PCL Lounge and close to the Second cup cafe

Chair: Edel Pérez-López, Université Laval, Chair Education and Careers CommitteeTitle: " Navigating scholarships and jobs applications in the AI era" Join Zoom Meeting: https://umanitoba.zoom.us/j/66288184111?pwd=JSqGs79hqZamVcEnw5iImnqNJAkwZb.1 Meeting ID: 662 8818 4111 Passcode: 667159 Invited Speaker: Dr. Olumuyiwa Igbalajobi, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCTitle: "How to craft an effective academic CV" Invited Speaker: Dr. Jessica Sheldon, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SKTitle: "Preparing for faculty interviews, from the application package to the dreaded chalk talk" Panel Discussion: Dr. Olumuyiwa IgbalajobiDr. Jessica SheldonDr. Denice Bay, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MBDr. Sameeh Salama, Public Health Agency of Canada

Chair: Dr. Denice Bay, University of Manitoba Invited Speaker: Dr. Michael Charette, University of Brandon Speaker selected from Abstract: Dr. Adam Rudner, University of Ottawa Speaker selected from Abstract: Dr. Kinga Kowalewska-Grochowska, Alberta Precision Laboratories Speaker Selected from Abstract; Dr. Jenny-Lee Thomassin, University of Saskatchewan Join Zoom Meeting: https://umanitoba.zoom.us/j/62540720217?pwd=dL4drh1VqRfct2n9MEPVbXv0vJt2ra.1 Meeting ID: 625 4072 0217 Passcode: 244542

This meeting is for members of the CSM Council. Lunch will be served at 12:30 and meeting will start at 1 PM.

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) information session Chair: TBD Presenter: Kristen Marshall, Program Officer, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) This presentation includes NSERC updates (focusing primarily on research grants and scholarships), Discovery Grants, Discovery Horizons and Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) results. Zoom Link for Virtual Registrants: TBD

Chair: Dr. Lisa Stein, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB This interactive session will provide an opportunity for conference participants to hear from the American Society for Microbiology on the state of US science policy and funding, advocacy basics, and engagement opportunities for the microbiology community. Learn about recent advocacy challenges and discuss what we can do to partner across borders and globally, to stay involved in discussions for sustainable change. Speaker: Amalia Corby

Chair: Dr. David Heinrichs, University of Western Ontario, London, ON Session Description: This session profiles the impactful research of two promising Early Career Researchers (ECRs) that have been supported through CIHR funding competitions, including one of the 2024 Bhagirath Singh Early Career Award in Infection and Immunity, named in honor the outstanding work of the inaugural CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity Scientific Director. The session recognizes the excellence of health research being done in Canada by new investigators in the field of infection and immunity. The Speakers will highlight how their research has addressed critical gaps and provide insights on how researchers who are earlier in their careers can establish impactful research programs. Attendees will have the opportunity to actively engage the speakers in critical reflection on their work and career journeys. Coffee and light snacks available. Session outline: 4:00 - 4:15: CIHR-III Welcome & Overview (12 min) + Speaker Intros (3 min)Host: Stephanie Robertson, Assistant Director, CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity 4:15- 4:35 Bhagi Singh awardee presentation (15 min + 5 min Q&A):Speaker: Dr. Braedon McDonald, Associate Professor in the Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine at the University of CalgaryProject Title: Mechanisms of sex-biased illness severity in sepsis and implications for treatmentPresentation Title: Differential disease tolerance mediates sex-biased illness severity in sepsis 4:35- 4:55 ECR presentation (15 min + 5 min Q&A):Speaker: Dr. Jennifer L Guthrie, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University Project Title: MRSA Genomics: Advancing Knowledge for Effective InterventionPresentation Title: Genomic Approaches to Understanding Pathogens 4:55-5:00 Closing and final questions

Phage Canada is hosting an informal poster session. If your poster touches on bacteriophages in any way, bring it along. Or, if you're just interested and think you might not have time to check out all the phage posters at the regular poster sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, come by! Location: Education Gymnasium

Dr. Ariane Briegel: Pushing the Boundaries of Cryo-Microscopy to Gain Insight into Microbial Interactions Pasteur Institute-Paris, France CSM 2026 is proud to present a featured keynote lecture supported by the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, whose generous Platinum sponsorship helps make this event possible. Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89162856333?pwd=A0pa2J3iNdjrhZqdGfatbTlM40nsFa.1 Meeting ID: 891 6285 6333 Passcode: 321515

Guided Tour of the UofA Cryo-EM Facility is led by Zhijie Li, the Facility Director and Dr. Justin Di Trani, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Alberta. His research combines cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and kinetic analysis to study macromolecules involved in bioenergetics. His work aims to advance structural and mechanistic understanding of these systems, with long-term applications in antibiotic development.