Each year, The Missouri Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) holds a gathering where microbiologists from across the state come together to share research, network and learn from one another.

This year’s meeting took place at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, from Oct. 10-11. It brought students, faculty and invited scholars together for two days of learning and collaboration.

Dr. Takehiro Kado, assistant professor of biology at Missouri State University, helped bring back the two-day format used before the COVID-19 pandemic for networking and socializing. He currently serves as secretary of The Missouri Branch of the ASM.

“This meeting helps microbiologists connect and feel part of a larger community,” he said.

Students shine

Two Missouri State undergraduates achieved success at the meeting.

Ezoza Hikmatillaeva, a cell and molecular biology senior with a minor in chemistry, came across Kado’s project website and expressed interest in his mycobacteria research. It focuses on the process behind cell-surface build-up using methods like fluorescent microscopy, lipid extraction and chemical analysis.

Hikmatillaeva gave an oral presentation titled, “Repurposing Dibucaine as a Membrane-targeting Agent to Enhance Antibiotic Activity Against Mycobacteria.”

“This was my first time giving a talk, so I was nervous. By the end, I was glad I did it,” she said.

Bryan Montero, a biology senior, won a $100 poster award for his research titled, “PonA2 Contributes to Biofilm and Colony Formation Independent of its Catalytic Domains in Mycobacterium smegmatis.”

“The meeting was incredibly welcoming and intellectually stimulating,” Montero said.

He added the experience gave him confidence to present his research outside the lab for the first time.

“It helped me grow professionally by allowing me to step out of my comfort zone and meet people who share the same excitement about microbiology,” he said.

Growing Missouri’s microbiology community

According to Kado, he and fellow branch officers hope to make the branch a place where both research-focused and teaching-focused universities share science and educational ideas.

“Attending the meeting helped me feel more connected to the microbiology community in Missouri,” Hikmatillaeva said. “It showed me that I do really belong in this field.”

The upcoming meetings will be fall 2026 and spring 2027 at Missouri State.

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