The inaugural Central New York Branch of the American Society for Microbiology Conference was held at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF).

CNY ASM Conference Brings Microbiologists from Central New York and Beyond Together

10/22/2026

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Oct. 22, 2026 — The inaugural Central New York Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Conference brought together more than 100 microbiologists, students, and researchers from across the region marking a major milestone for the newly revived chapter.

The event, held at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), highlighted the breadth of microbiology research occurring throughout Central New York while creating an affordable, accessible venue for students to share their work and build professional connections.

The conference had attendees from Binghamton University, Cornell University, Ithaca College, LeMoyne College, ESF, Syracuse University, Upstate Medical University, SUNY Cortland, Hamilton College, Clarkson University, Johns Hopkins University, and Vanderbilt University.

“The turnout and energy of microbiologists from across central and western New York shows us this revived branch of the American Society of Microbiology is meeting a real need to build a regional microbiology community,” said Dr. Julie Maresca, CNY ASM branch councilor and associate professor in ESF’s Department of Chemistry. “We’re doing such diverse microbiology research, and strengthening connections between research groups and institutions will help all of us.”

The CNY ASM chapter restarted in January after being inactive since roughly 2000. This effort was led by ESF faculty and involved collaboration with researchers and educators from Syracuse University, Cornell University, Ithaca College, and other regional institutions.

While other microbiology meetings focus on medical microbiology, the CNY ASM conference showcased a broad range of microbiological research, said Dr. Jennifer Goff, CNY ASM president and assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry. Conference sessions were organized around ASM's major thematic areas: health and disease microbiology, fundamental microbial mechanisms and discovery, and applied and environmental microbiology. ASM Distinguished Lecturer Dr. Maria Hadjifrangiskou from Vanderbilt University Medical Center gave the keynote address on the micro-environments that bacteria experience in urinary tract infections.

Research topics ranged from antibiotic resistance and bacterial cell biology to soil microbiology, giant viruses, plant pathogens, environmental microbes, and microbiome research.

Along with providing a broad range of topics, the chapter also sought to create a high-quality, affordable regional conference where students and early-career researchers could present their work. Students presented their work as part of a juried poster session.

“The conference was designed to fill a gap in the region by providing a venue for microbiologists whose work is not solely focused on medical or clinical microbiology,” said Goff.

“When I first started thinking about re-establishing this branch, I had hoped we could build a stronger sense of community among microbiologists in our region. Seeing so many people come together from across institutions and career stages was really special. I was especially excited by the enthusiasm of the students, who presented 58 posters on a wide range of research topics. It was incredibly rewarding to see something we had talked about for years finally come to life, and I'm excited to see what we can build together in the years ahead.”

About SUNY ESF  

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is one of the nation's premier colleges focused on the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable future. ESF’s mission is to educate future environmental leaders of all backgrounds, advance knowledge, and skills necessary to promote scholarship and stewardship of the natural to designed environments, and act both locally and globally to Improve Our World. ESF’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni make a global impact on improving and sustaining the environment. ESF offers a world-class education among a close-knit community of more than 2,000 scholars with common values and a shared sense of purpose. ESF’s tight-knit community is centered alongside Syracuse University in the heart of Central New York and has a system of properties spanning 25,000 acres that broadly represent New York state’s rich ecological diversity for scientific study and instruction. To learn more, visit suny.edu.