Drs. Anil Ojha and Pallavi Ghosh of the Wadsworth Center’s Division of Genetics attended the Microbial Stress Response Gordon Research Conference at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Dr. Ojha presented research on ribosome hibernation in mycobacteria, a process that can promote the persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during antibiotic treatment. Dr. Ghosh presented her work on sigma factor D responses and rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium abscessus.
Centered on the theme “Fundamentals and Applications of Microbial Stress Response Mechanisms,” the conference brought together researchers from around the world to share unpublished, cutting-edge findings. Presentations spanned molecular and structural mechanisms through population-level dynamics, exploring how bacteria detect and adapt to threats including antibiotic pressure, nutrient deprivation, phage predation, and host immune defenses. The intensive five-day meeting featured keynote and abstract presentations, daily poster sessions, and dedicated networking time. It provided a valuable forum for developing collaborations and advancing strategies to address antimicrobial resistance and bacterial stress-survival mechanisms.