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Microbiology of the Built Environment

Gordon Research Conference

Integrating Human Health with Building Microbiomes

July 15 - 20, 2018
Chair
Vice Chair

Conference Description

First Gordon Research Conference on the Microbiology of the Built Environment will include expert speakers, poster sessions, and an interactive agenda - all focused on the ecology, control, and positive and negative health impacts of microbes, viruses, allergens and biotoxins in buildings. Biddeford is located on the southern coast of Maine with outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities and is 90 miles from Boston, MA and 16 miles from Portland, ME.

Conference Program

Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introductory Comments by GRC Site Staff / Welcome from the GRC Chair
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm
How the Built Environment Microbiome Impacts the Human Microbiome
Discussion Leader:
7:40 pm - 7:50 pm
Opening Remarks
7:50 pm - 8:00 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
8:00 pm - 8:30 pm
"The Home Microbiome and Childhood Asthma"
8:30 pm - 8:45 pm
Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:15 pm
"The Impact of Long-Term Space Travel on the Astronauts Microbiota"
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm
Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Building Design and Operation Impact Microbial Diversity and Exposure
Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:40 am
"Factors that Influence Fungal Community Structure in Buildings"
9:40 am - 9:55 am
Discussion
9:55 am - 10:25 am
"Microbial Tracking of the International Space Station"
10:25 am - 10:40 am
Discussion
10:40 am - 11:10 am
Coffee Break
11:10 am - 11:40 am
"How Building Ventilation and Other Airflows Impact the Fate and Transport of Indoor Aerosols"
11:40 am - 12:00 pm
Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Poster Previews
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Power Hour
The GRC Power Hour is an optional informal gathering open to all meeting participants. It is designed to help address the challenges women face in science and support the professional growth of women in our communities by providing an open forum for discussion and mentoring.
Organizer:
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Viruses in Buildings
Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm
"Building Characteristics Influence Human Exposure to Respiratory Viruses"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm
Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm
"Absolute Humidity Modulates Influenza Transmission"
8:55 pm - 9:10 pm
Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Building Microbes, Allergies and Asthma
Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:40 am
"Separating Protective and Adverse Effects of Indoor Microbiota on Asthma"
9:40 am - 10:00 am
Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am
"Indoor Allergens, Allergy and Asthma"
10:30 am - 10:45 am
Discussion
10:45 am - 11:15 am
Coffee Break
11:15 am - 11:45 am
"Asthma and Carpets: How Moisture in Homes Impacts Human Exposure to Fungal Allergens"
11:45 am - 12:00 pm
Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Poster Previews
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Mold in Buildings
Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm
"Indoor Fungal Concentrations Versus Outdoors and the Impact of Climate Change"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm
Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm
"Moisture Damage and Dampness and Impact on Indoor Microbiota"
8:55 pm - 9:10 pm
Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Pathogens in Premise Plumbing
Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:40 am
"Mycobacteria in Showerhead Biofilms: Their Diversity, Geographic Distribution, and Potential Impacts on Human Health"
9:40 am - 9:55 am
Discussion
9:55 am - 10:25 am
"Surrounded by Mycobacteria"
10:25 am - 10:40 am
Discussion
10:40 am - 11:10 am
Coffee Break
11:10 am - 11:40 am
"Are Opportunistic Pathogens in Premise Plumbing the Source of Infection in Children with Cystic Fibrosis?"
11:40 am - 12:00 pm
Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Poster Previews
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Pathogens in Buildings
Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm
"Bringing Viral Indicators Indoors"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm
Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm
"Small but Fierce: How Virus Particle Structures Control Their Persistence in the Environment"
8:55 pm - 9:10 pm
Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Business Meeting
Nominations for the Next Vice Chair; Fill in Conference Evaluation Forms; Discuss Future Site and Scheduling Preferences; Election of the Next Vice Chair
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Control of Pathogen Transmission in Buildings
Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:40 am
"Antibiotic Resistance, Pathogens and the Built Environment"
9:40 am - 9:55 am
Discussion
9:55 am - 10:25 am
"Modelling the Impact of Ventilation Design on Microorganism Dispersion and Deposition in Buildings"
10:25 am - 10:40 am
Discussion
10:40 am - 11:10 am
Coffee Break
11:10 am - 11:40 am
"Efficacy of Cleaning to Reduce HAI's"
11:40 am - 12:00 pm
Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Poster Previews
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
New Tools for Detecting Pathogens
Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm
"High-Throughput Microarrays for Broad Spectrum Pathogen Detection"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm
Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm
"Taxonomer"
8:55 pm - 9:15 pm
Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm
Closing Remarks
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am
Departure

Contributors

Gordon Research Conferences
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
National Institutes of Health - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Science Foundation
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
PLOS Biology

Funding for this conference was made possible [in part] by 1 R13 AI 140535 - 01 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Conference Links

Conference History
Additional Fee Info

Applied and Environmental Microbiology
July 13 - 18, 2025
Immunology of Fungal Infections
January 19 - 24, 2025
Microbiology of the Built Environment (GRS)
June 21 - 22, 2025
Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins
June 15 - 20, 2025


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