Call for Applications: Pan-microbial Trait Ecology, a NIMBioS Investigative Workshop

[Catherine Crawley]

The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(NIMBioS) is now accepting applications for its Investigative Workshop,
"Pan-microbial Trait Ecology," to be held June 14-16, 2017, at NIMBioS.

*Objectives: *This workshop aims to lay the groundwork for a mechanistic
trait-based framework for different microbial taxa by combining several
fundamental fields, from genomics and metabolic modeling to community
ecology and ecosystem modeling. We will identify key traits that can be
used in community and ecosystem models and outline ways to derive such
traits from known microbial genomes and metabolic networks. We will
explore several biological and computational challenges within this
topic, such as linking cellular metabolism to phenotypic traits,
developing multidimensional models, reducing model complexity, modeling
trait evolution at different levels and expanding metabolic models to
the level of microbial communities. The workshop will bring together a
highly interdisciplinary and diverse group of researchers at different
stages of their careers, which will enable multiple intellectual
synergies. The workshop output should stimulate the broad participation
of applied mathematicians, computational microbial biologists, community
ecologists and ecosystem scientists in developing trait-based frameworks
further.

*Location: *NIMBioS at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville;

*Co-Organizers: *Elena Litchman, Michigan State Univ.; Christine Hawkes,
Univ. of Texas, Austin; and Chris Klausmeier, Michigan State Univ.

For more information about the workshop and a link to the online
application form, go to http://www.nimbios.org/workshops/WS_microbes

Participation in NIMBioS workshops is by application only. Individuals
with a strong interest in the topic are encouraged to apply, and
successful applicants will be notified within two weeks after the
application deadline. If needed, financial support for travel, meals,
and lodging is available for workshop attendees.

*Application deadline:* March 26, 2017

The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(NIMBioS) (http://www.nimbios.org) brings together researchers from
around the world to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries to
investigate solutions to basic and applied problems in the life
sciences. NIMBioS is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, with
additional support from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

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