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
Keynote Session: Insights into Pathogen and Host Biology
Discussion Leader: Jan-Willem Veening (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)
7:40 pm - 7:50 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:50 pm - 8:15 pm
Michael Gilmore (Harvard Medical School/Mass General Brigham, United States)
"Origins of the Enterococci and Streptococci, and What They Infer About Their Biology"
8:15 pm - 8:25 pm
Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:50 pm
Victor Nizet (University of California, San Diego, United States)
"Why Strep are the Best (and by Best I Mean Worst) Pathogens"
8:50 pm - 9:00 pm
Discussion
9:00 pm - 9:10 pm
Julia Derk (CU Denver - Anschutz Medical Campus, United States)
"Arachnoid Barrier Breakdown during GBS-Mediated Meningitis Infections"
9:10 pm - 9:15 pm
Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm
Vikrant Minhas (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)
"Heterogeneous Single Cell Responses Underlie Host-Pathogen Signaling During Pneumococcal Infection"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm
Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Evolution of Genomes: From Genomics to Function
Discussion Leader: Andrew Camilli (Tufts University, United States)
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:35 am
Nina van Sorge (Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands)
"Translating Observations from Streptococcal Surveillance into Knowledge About Disease Pathogenesis"
9:35 am - 9:45 am
Discussion
9:45 am - 10:10 am
Bill Hanage (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States)
"Streptococcal Evolution - The Role of Frequency Dependent Selection on the Accessory Genome"
10:10 am - 10:20 am
Discussion
10:20 am - 10:50 am
Coffee Break
10:50 am - 11:15 am
Lucy Weinert (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
"The Ecological Shift to Increased Virulence and Zoonosis in Streptococcus suis "
11:15 am - 11:25 am
Discussion
11:25 am - 11:50 am
Mark Davies (The University of Melbourne, Australia)
"Evolution and Transmission Dynamics of Streptococcal Pathovars"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm
Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm
Laura Cook (Binghamton University - State University of New York, United States)
"Examining Nasopharyngeal Carriage by GAS Strains in Patient Samples"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm
Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm
Federico Rosconi (Boston College, United States)
"A Functional Pan-Genome Study of Streptococcus pneumoniae Reveals Which Genes Are Species-wide or Strain-dependent Required for a Successful Host Infection"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The GRC Power Hourâ„¢
The GRC Power Hourâ„¢ is designed to address diversity and inclusion in the scientific workplace by providing a safe environment for informal and meaningful conversations amongst colleagues of all career stages. The program supports the professional growth of all members of our communities, including ethnicity, race and/or gender identity by providing an open forum for discussion and mentoring.
Organizer: Elaine Tuomanen (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, United States)
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Regulation and Virulence Mechanisms
Discussion Leader: Elaine Tuomanen (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, United States)
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 8:00 pm
Michael Johnson (University of Arizona/NSURP, United States)
"How Pneumococcus Overcomes Copper Stress at the Host Pathogen Interface"
8:00 pm - 8:10 pm
Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:35 pm
Melanie Hamon (Institut Pasteur, France)
"Streptococcus pneumoniae Mediated Histone Modifications and Lasting Impact"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm
Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:05 pm
Michael Wessels (Harvard Medical School, United States)
"Virulence Regulation in Group A Streptococcus"
9:05 pm - 9:15 pm
Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm
Jacqueline Kimmey (University of California, Santa Cruz, United States)
"Circadian Regulation of Host Response to Streptococcus pneumoniae"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm
Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Host-Pathogen Interactions and the Fight for Survival
Discussion Leader: Anna Norrby-Teglund (Karolinska Institutet, Sweden)
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:35 am
Annelies Zinkernagel (University of Zurich, Switzerland)
"Why Are Invasive Streptococcus pyogenes Infections So Difficult to Treat?"
9:35 am - 9:45 am
Discussion
9:45 am - 10:10 am
Jose Lemos (University of Florida, United States)
"Therapeutic Potential of a Novel P-type ATPase that Protects Streptococcus mutans from Zinc Intoxication"
10:10 am - 10:20 am
Discussion
10:20 am - 10:50 am
Group Photo / Coffee Break
10:50 am - 11:15 am
Tara Randis (University of South Florida, United States)
"GBS and Intestinal Immunity – A Balancing Act"
11:15 am - 11:25 am
Discussion
11:25 am - 11:50 am
Mattias Collin (Lund University, Sweden)
"Antibody Hydrolyzing Enzymes from Pathogenic Streptococci - in Virulence, as Drugs, and in Biotechnology"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm
Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm
Yi Xu (Texas A&M Health Science Center, United States)
"A Novel Pathogenic Mechanism for Streptococcus gallolyticus – Type VII Secretion, Host Receptor, and Role in Colorectal Cancer"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm
Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm
Austyn Orvis (Seattle Children's , United States)
"The Effect of FXIIIA in Group B Streptococcal Infections"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
Discussion
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
At the Surface of the Bacterial-Host Encounter
Discussion Leader: Barbara Spellerberg (University Hospital Ulm, Germany)
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 8:00 pm
N. Luisa Hiller (Carnegie Mellon University, United States)
"The Contributions of Peptides and Vesicles to the Pneumococcal Social Network"
8:00 pm - 8:10 pm
Discussion
8:10 pm - 8:35 pm
Eric Schmidt (Massachusetts General Hospital, United States)
"Alveolar Glycosaminoglycan Shedding Mediates Post-Viral Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm
Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:05 pm
Angela Nobbs (University of Bristol, United Kingdom)
"Causes and Consequences of Candida-GBS Interactions"
9:05 pm - 9:15 pm
Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm
Surabhi Mishra (University of Florida, United States)
"Streptococcus mutans Membrane-localized Chaperone/Insertases, YidC1 and YidC2, Differ in Their Interactions with Anionic Phospholipids"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm
Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Interactions Within the Microbial Community
Discussion Leader: Kimberly Kline (University of Geneva, Switzerland)
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:35 am
Katherine Lemon (Baylor College of Medicine, United States)
"Picking Sides: Microbe-Microbe Interactions in the Human Nose"
9:35 am - 9:45 am
Discussion
9:45 am - 10:10 am
Mohammad Seyedsayamdost (Princeton University, United States)
"Secondary Metabolites from Human Microbiome Streptococci"
10:10 am - 10:20 am
Discussion
10:20 am - 10:50 am
Coffee Break
10:50 am - 11:15 am
Katy Patras (Baylor College of Medicine, United States)
"Group B Streptococcus and the Vaginal Microenvironment"
11:15 am - 11:25 am
Discussion
11:25 am - 11:50 am
Joseph Zackular (University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, United States)
"Mechanisms of Interaction Between Enterococci and Clostridioides difficile During Infection"
11:50 am - 12:00 pm
Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:10 pm
Sarah Clark (University of Colorado School of Medicine, United States)
"Airway Prevotella Promote TLR2-Dependent Neutrophil Activation and Rapid Clearance of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the Lung"
12:10 pm - 12:15 pm
Discussion
12:15 pm - 12:25 pm
Kelly Rice (University of Florida, United States)
"Direct Imaging of Dual-species Streptococcus mutans & Streptococcus gordonii Biofilms Grown Under Simulated Microgravity"
12:25 pm - 12:30 pm
Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Poster Session
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Phage and Mobile Genetic Elements
Discussion Leader: Breck Duerkop (University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, United States)
5:30 pm - 5:40 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
5:40 pm - 6:05 pm
Kelli Palmer (University of Texas at Dallas, United States)
"Enterococcal CRISPR-Cas Defense Against Conjugative Plasmids"
6:05 pm - 6:15 pm
Discussion
6:15 pm - 6:40 pm
Katrine Whiteson (University of California Irvine, United States)
"Broadening Phage Horizons: Co-evolution of Bacteriophage Infecting Enterococcus"
6:40 pm - 6:50 pm
Discussion
6:50 pm - 7:05 pm
Andrew Varble (Rockefeller University, United States)
"Prophage Integration into CRISPR Loci Enables Evasion of Antiviral Immunity in Streptococcus pyogenes "
7:05 pm - 7:15 pm
Discussion
7:15 pm - 7:25 pm
Bettina Buttaro (LKSoM Temple University, United States)
"Pheromone Responsive Plasmid pCF10 Increases Hydrogen Peroxide Resistance and Remodels Enterococcus faecalis Biofilms to Produce Heterologous Rigid Structures and Microaggregates"
7:25 pm - 7:30 pm
Discussion
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Dinner
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Business Meeting
Nominations for the Next Vice Chair(s); Complete the GRC Evaluation Forms; Discuss Future Dates and Venue; Election of the Next Vice Chair(s)
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Evolving Therapeutic Approaches and Methodologies
Discussion Leader: Thomas Hooven (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, United States)
9:00 am - 9:10 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:35 am
Natalie Silmon de Monerri (Pfizer, United States)
"Conjugate Vaccine Development for the Prevention of Streptococcal Diseases: Evolving Approaches"
9:35 am - 9:45 am
Discussion
9:45 am - 10:10 am
Joshua Osowicki (Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Australia)
"One Small Strep for Man: Dispatches from the Experimental Human Infection Frontier"
10:10 am - 10:20 am
Discussion
10:20 am - 10:55 am
Coffee Break
10:55 am - 11:10 am
Kaylie Lam (University of Florida, United States)
"Enterococcus faecalis Zinc and Manganese-binding Lipoproteins as Candidates for the Development of Protein-Based Enterococcal Vaccine"
11:10 am - 11:20 am
Discussion
11:20 am - 11:45 am
Elsa Bou Ghanem (Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University at Buffalo, United States)
"Host-directed Interventions Against Pneumococcal Infection: The Role of Extracellular Adenosine Signaling"
11:45 am - 11:55 am
Discussion
11:55 am - 12:20 pm
Jeremy Brown (University College London, United Kingdom)
"Effects of Nasal Administration of Live Attenuated Streptococcus pneumoniae in a Human Infection Challenge Model"
12:20 pm - 12:30 pm
Discussion
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
Early-Career Investigator Presentations
Discussion Leader: Michael Federle (University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), United States)
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Brady Spencer (University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, United States)
"Heterogeneity of the Group B Streptococcal Type VII Secretion System and Impact on Colonization and Infection"
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm
Discussion
7:45 pm - 7:55 pm
Lamar Thomas (Binghamton University, United States)
"A Novel Protein in Streptococcus Agalactiae, BvaP, is the Target for Vaccination"
7:55 pm - 8:00 pm
Discussion
8:00 pm - 8:10 pm
Jonathon Baker (J. Craig Venter Institute, United States)
"Unsaturated Fatty Acids Mediate Tolerance of Oxidative and Acid Stresses in Lactobacillales"
8:10 pm - 8:15 pm
Discussion
8:15 pm - 8:25 pm
Bharathi Sundaresh (Boston College, United States)
"Genomic Profiling Reveals Novel Routes to Complement Evasion in Streptococcus Pneumoniae"
8:25 pm - 8:30 pm
Discussion
8:30 pm - 8:40 pm
Rebecca Keogh (CU Anschutz, United States)
"Mechanisms of Group B Streptococcal Pathogenesis in the Diabetic Wound Environment"
8:40 pm - 8:45 pm
Discussion
8:45 pm - 8:55 pm
Meaghan Hart (University of Maryland, United States)
"RofA: A PRD-Containing Virulence Regulator Connecting Sugar Utilization to Virulence Regulation in Group A Streptococcus"
8:55 pm - 9:00 pm
Discussion
9:00 pm - 9:10 pm
Edmondo Campisi (The Rockefeller University, United States)
"Through the SpyGLASS: Visualizing 100 Years of Genomic Evolution of M1 S. Pyogenes with a New Interactive Web App"
9:10 pm - 9:15 pm
Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:25 pm
Trevor Penix (St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, United States)
"Identifying the Mechanism of Direct Binding Between Streptococcus Pneumoniae and Influenza"
9:25 pm - 9:30 pm
Discussion
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am
Departure