In August 2026, members of the Marine Microbiomes Lab travelled to Auckland, New Zealand, for ISME20, the 20th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology, bringing the M&Ms into a broader international conversation on microbial ecology and its role in shaping marine ecosystems.

Pedro Cardoso and Vivian Molina represented the lab at the symposium, sharing their research and engaging with scientists working across the diverse fields of microbial ecology.

The conference also held a special significance for our PI, Prof. Raquel Peixoto, who participated as President of the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME), contributing to the scientific community beyond her work within the lab.

ISME20 provided an opportunity to present our research, exchange ideas across disciplines, and connect with the international microbial ecology community - bringing new perspectives and conversations back to the M&Ms.