The ERA chair of MicroBioPest, Prof. Dimopoulos, was one of the plenary invited speakers of the congress and gave a talk entitled "Mitigating insecticide resistance with novel microbial biopesticides», presenting the Microbiopest project, overview, and results.

Link to abstracts and programme overview here.

The 9th International Congress of the Society for Vector Ecology (SOVE 25), was the annual installment of the SOVE conference, that year held in Chania. The conference brought together a global community of researchers, public health professionals, and vector control specialists to address current understanding and developments in vector biology, ecology and disease management. Centred around the theme “Connecting Vector Science Globally,” the conference featured over 200 presentations spanning topics such as vector ecology, host–pathogen interactions, surveillance, and innovative control strategies. Particular emphasis was placed on interdisciplinary collaboration, One Health approaches, and the impacts of climate change on vector-borne diseases. The meeting provided a platform for integrating research with operational practice, while fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange across academia, public health, and industry.

The event is a European initiative to promote the value of research and science. The MicroBioPest group set up a stand to present our research to the public. The stand contained a mosquito cage, to demonstrate part of their life-cycle and rearing; Petri dishes containing bacterial and fungal isolates; a microscope with slides of the microorganisms; flyers and a poster with an explanation of the project; and a TV exhibiting the video produced about the project.

Webinar organized in collaboration with NextGenBioPest and SAFWA Prima project which focused on raising awareness of biopesticides, promoting integrated pest management, addressing insecticide resistance, showcasing successful case studies, protecting environmental health, preserving biodiversity, and enhancing long-term farm productivity in line with global agricultural trends.

The agenda for the event can be found here.

The ERA chair of MicroBioPest, Prof. Dimopoulos, gave a talk entitled «Versatile Game-Changing Biopesticides for Mosquito-Borne Disease Interventions», presenting the Microbiopest project, overview, and results.

Link to abstracts here.

The Ento 24 conference was the 2024 installation of an annual conference organized by the Royal Entomological Society of the UK, that year held at the University of Liverpool. This conference brought together a broad community of entomologists to present and discuss recent advances across fundamental and applied insect science. The meeting covered diverse topics including insect ecology and behaviour, vector biology, pest management, and emerging control technologies, with contributions spanning molecular studies through to field-based applications. Particular emphasis was placed on sustainable management strategies, resistance evolution, and the impacts of environmental change on insect populations. The conference provided a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and the integration of multidisciplinary approaches to address current challenges in entomology.

The New IPM Symposium is an annual conference held at Swansea University that brings together over 200 researchers, industry representatives, and policymakers to explore emerging opportunities in Integrated Pest Management. The conference focuses on the development of sustainable, environmentally friendly pest control strategies, with particular emphasis on crop protection and the management of insect vectors affecting human and animal health. Sessions covered a wide range of topics including microbial biopesticides, semiochemicals, vector control, and AI-driven monitoring technologies, while also highlighting the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and translation of research into practical applications. The event provides a platform for innovation, networking, and the advancement of integrated, low-impact pest management approaches in response to global challenges such as climate change and pesticide resistance.

The meeting is organized by the Society for Invertebrate Pathology, with participation of researchers and industry representatives. The scientific programme included sections on pathogens of invertebrates (viruses, bacteria, fungi, nematodes and microsporidia); microbial control of insects; and diseases of beneficial invertebrates. Within these sections, oral and poster presentations covered topics such as discovery and evolution, biocontrol application, resistance, ecology, genetics, and formulation, among others.

The Kolymbari vector meeting is a major biennial international scientific conference focused on the biology, ecology, and control of disease vectors, particularly mosquitoes and other arthropods of medical and agricultural importance. Bringing together a global community of researchers, public health experts, and stakeholders, the meeting serves as a forum for presenting cutting-edge research on vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and West Nile virus, alongside emerging challenges linked to climate change and globalisation. Core themes include molecular and population biology of vectors, host–pathogen interactions, insect behaviour and chemical ecology, and the development of innovative control strategies including both traditional and genetic biocontrol methodologies (e.g. gene drives), novel attractants, and integrated vector management approaches. The conference is also notable for its emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and translation of fundamental research into practical solutions, fostering discussion on experimental design, field implementation, and policy considerations in vector control. The MicroBioPest group sent both Drs Martyn Wood and Juan Silva to present posters on the MicroBioPest project in order to publicize the project and our findings to a large audience of scientists, industry and stakeholders with the intent of forming productive networks.

We are excited to announce our upcoming workshop titled "Vector Control: Insecticides and Beyond," scheduled for July 11-12, 2024, at the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH) in Heraklion, Crete. Organized under the EU-funded projects MicroBioPest and CypTox, this event will feature leading experts discussing advanced methods in vector control and insecticide development. Highlights include plenary sessions by George Dimopoulos on vector control challenges, Laurence J. Zwiebel on the insect olfactory system, and George Christophides on gene drive solutions, along with practical courses on novel insecticides, microbial biopesticides, and molecular diagnostics. The workshop concludes with networking activities and opportunities for hands-on learning.

The workshop’s agenda can be downloaded here.