EuroMicropH

Understanding and exploiting the impacts of low pH on micro-organisms

About

This COST Action is broad in its technical and scientific scope, as its central aim is to bring together people working in quite diverse fields but with a common scientific interest: namely, the understanding and exploitation of the responses of micro-organisms to low pH.

These organisms in this context include bacteria, yeasts, and other fungi. This topic is already being studied in considerable depth and has many important practical applications in a number of diverse sectors; however, these sectors traditionally do not communicate well with each other.

A new forum for communication will be highly beneficial both for scientific progress and, importantly, for the applied fields in which this topic is important.

These include the microbiology of food and drink, many aspects of industrial biotechnology and bio-processing, and clinical and veterinary treatment of infections in a time of increasing antimicrobial resistance. Through a combination of Working Groups, workshops, Short-Term Scientific Missions, and dissemination activities, plus open conferences, this Action will:

(a) aid increased understanding of the details of how micro-organisms detect and respond to low pH; (b) ensure that technical developments being made in one field are rapidly translated into other fields; (c) leverage the many different areas of expertise that exist across Action members and; (d) ensure, through participation and dissemination, that these developments reach as wide an audience as possible, including pure and applied scientists in the Inclusiveness Target Countries.

Specific Objectives

To achieve the main objective described in this MoU, the following specific objectives shall be accomplished

Research Coordination

  • Build links across different relevant disciplines, both in and related to microbiology, so that methods for studying acid stress responses can be shared, developed, and exploited;
  • Establish and foster synergies between pure and applied researchers so that developments in understanding of mechanisms of responses of micro-organisms to low pH can be utilised quickly in practical applications;
  • Disseminate information about Action activities and deliverables as widely as possible in the relevant research and development communities from academia to industry and health care;
  • Gather, record, and disseminate standardised information about characteristics of diverse microorganisms exposed to acid stress, to identify knowledge and technical gaps.

Capacity Building

  • Support and develop knowledge exchange and development of overlapping research agendas and deeper understanding between researchers in both pure and applied fields with an interest in microbial responses to low pH;
  • Develop expertise in researchers, particularly ECIs, in new methods and conceptual approaches which have general applicability in the field of microbial responses to low pH;
  • Involve younger ECIs and researchers from ITCs in all aspects of the running and development of the Action.

Join the Action

The Action is an open, interdisciplinary and growing network welcoming academics, practitioners and relevant stakeholders to contribute to the activities of the EuroMicropH work plan.