The 1st South-East Transnational Congress of Microbial Sciences (SETCoMS 2026 & MIKROMED REGIO 6) to be held in Belgrade from 10-13 June 2026, invites microbiologists, researchers, innovators, doctors, and emerging scientists to join a vibrant community shaping the frontiers of microbiology.
More information in the link!
Dear members of the Slovenian Microbiological Society,
The Executive Board of the Slovenian Microbiological Society convenes the regular General Assembly of the Society for 2026. The meeting will take place on Thursday, 26 March 2026 at 16:00 via the Zoom online platform.
Link to the event:
https://uni-lj-si.zoom.us/j/3321642592?omn=97902846091
PROGRAM
16:00 Opening of the General Assembly and appointment of the Assembly bodies
16:05 Invited lecture
Assoc. Prof. Tinkara Tinta, PhD:
Interactions between microbes and jellyfish and their impact on the functioning of marine ecosystems
16:35 Activities of the Slovenian Microbiological Society
Reports by the Executive Board members on the activities of the Society in 2025 and the work programme for 2026
Final financial report for 2025 and the financial plan for 2026
Miscellaneous
With the hope that we will gather in as large a number as possible, we warmly greet you all.
Executive Board of the Slovenian Microbiological Society
The Catalyst Academy is an interdisciplinary student project connecting young scientists and professionals from the fields of pharmacy, chemistry, chemical engineering, and biotechnology. It is organized by ŠOFFA and ŠOFKKT, with ŠOBF joining this year as a new partner.
The project’s mission is to support students in transitioning from studies to the job market through a structured 1-on-1 mentoring program. Mentors meet with students once a month, offering guidance, career advice, and insights into professional life.
We are currently inviting mentors who would like to share their knowledge and experience with students from these faculties. A brochure with detailed information for mentors will be available soon.
The project also includes workshops and talks focused on career development and essential soft skills.
More information in the brochure and our instagram: @catalystacademy2025
To express your interest, contact mentorstvo@catalystsacademy.org
Dear Microbiologists!
We are thrilled to present to you the newest spring edition of Mikrobiolog.si journal, packed with interesting content from the world of microbiology.
We wish you a pleasant read,
MC SMD
Seveda — spodaj je preveden prispevek v angleščino (primerno za spletno objavo).
Dear members of SMD,
We are pleased to invite you to take part in the international conference “Rethinking Plant Systems for the Future”, which will take place on 17–18 September 2026 in Maribor (Hotel Habakuk).
The central focus of this year’s meeting will be the plant holobiont and a discussion on the future of research on plants and their microbiomes in Slovenia. The conference aims to bring together researchers from a wide range of fields—from microbiology, molecular biology, genomics, ecology, and agronomy to systems biology and environmental sciences—and to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue on how to understand and steer plant systems in the context of climate change, sustainable agriculture, and environmental protection.
As the plant holobiont goes beyond the boundaries of any single discipline, we are seeking a diverse and content-rich line-up of participants who can contribute perspectives from different angles. The field of microbiology plays a key role in this effort—both in uncovering fundamental mechanisms of interaction and in developing applied approaches for the future.
The programme will include invited lectures, oral and poster presentations, and thematic discussions, with a special emphasis on connecting the Slovenian research community and establishing new collaborations.
You are kindly invited to contribute to the discussion on the future of plant systems research in Slovenia with your presence and participation. For more information on registration and important deadlines, please visit:
https://www.plantslo.org/wp/conference2026/
We look forward to seeing you there and send you our best regards,
Nejc Stopnišek
(on behalf of the Organising Committee)
This year, the 31st International ICFMH Conference FOODMicro2026 will take place in Ljubljana from 7 to 10 September.
We would like to inform you that a preliminary programme has been published on the conference website, and abstract submission is now open.
You are kindly invited to attend the event.
Dear Members,
Before the New Year, we would like to share a few announcements regarding the Society’s upcoming activities and kindly invite you to participate.
1. We would like to inform you that we will be reconstituting the SMD Terminology Committee, as activities in its current composition have recently come to a standstill. Our aim is for the committee to operate actively in the future and to respond promptly to language-related questions raised by our members. It is also important that professional terminology continues to develop in the Slovenian language. We therefore invite all those who would be interested in participating in the new SMD Terminology Committee to contact us by email at smd@smd.si and briefly describe their field of work.
2. In 2026, we wish to continue with the online seminars that have been held in the past. The coordination of these online seminars is to be taken on by Dr Nejc Stopnišek from NLZOH. We would also like other members to join him, particularly those willing to assist with establishing contacts with international lecturers or Slovenian lecturers working abroad. Anyone interested in this type of collaboration is kindly invited to inform us at smd@smd.si.
3. We have begun collecting contributions for the spring issue of our journal Mikrobiolog.si. We are very pleased with all the contributions we receive; however, we kindly ask you to follow the guidelines published on our website when preparing your manuscripts. Please note that only contributions submitted to the email address of the Editor-in-Chief, Assoc. Prof. Dr Polonca Štefanič (polonca.stefanic@bf.uni-lj.si), or to the Society’s official email address will be published in the journal.
We look forward to receiving your applications to participate in the committee and/or the online seminars, as well as your contributions to Mikrobiolog.si, by 20 January 2026.
In the new issue of the journal MIKROBIOLOG.SI, five award recipients and honorees of the Best Master’s Thesis 2024 reveal the findings of their master’s research. The issue also features young microbiologists who presented their work at the Young Microbiologists 2025 event, as well as four recipients of the society’s scholarships for participation in international conferences.
In addition to scientific articles, the issue includes three professional contributions and highlights from events that have shaped the microbiology community over the past six months. And because microbiology never operates in isolation, we also showcase the Mikrobum project, which brings together researchers from various disciplines to explore the subtle connections between humans and microbes.
Good read!
Dear microbiology supporters,
We are pleased to share the news that the Slovenian Microbiological Society has been entrusted with organizing the largest microbiology event in Europe. After almost a quarter of a century, FEMS MICRO 2027 is returning to Ljubljana.
We will keep you informed about all related activities. In the meantime, we invite you to subscribe to FEMS News to stay up to date with the latest events. We also encourage you to take advantage of FEMS scholarship opportunities and consider publishing your scientific work in their journals.
Kind regards,
Urška Jamnikar Ciglenečki
President of the Slovenian Microbiological Society