Dear Colleagues,
We are excited to announce the Biophysical Society Thematic Meeting on Mechanobiology of Infections, which will be held in Ascona, Switzerland, June 7–11, 2026.
Over the past decade, groundbreaking advances in microbiology, biophysics, and biomedical engineering have begun to uncover the essential role of mechanical forces in infection biology. From how bacteria sense and respond to surface contact, to how host tissue stiffness influences colonization and immune defense, this emerging field connects the physical environment to the physiology of both pathogens and host cells. Despite rapid progress, there has been no dedicated forum to bring together the diverse community working at this interface—until now.
This meeting will be the first international conference focused on the mechanobiology of host–pathogen interactions, with the goal of uniting researchers across disciplines to define the future of this field. The program will include invited talks, contributed presentations, poster sessions, and networking events, with a strong emphasis on early-career participation and cross-disciplinary exchange.
Scientific sessions will explore bacterial force sensing, biofilm mechanics, motility, mechanical aspects of immune defense, theoretical modeling, and host–microbe interactions in engineered systems and organoids. The conference will also showcase state-of-the-art tools for probing mechanical phenomena, including advanced microscopy, microfluidics, and computational modeling.
Visit the website for the program and list of speakers. Please share this information with colleagues who may be interested in attending. Please note that the deadline to submit an abstract is March 31, 2026. Abstract submission is free and short talks will be selected from submitted abstracts.
We look forward to your contributions and your enthusiastic participation in this stimulating meeting!
Program Co-Organizers
Effie Bastounis,University of Tübingen, Germany
Daria Bonazzi, Institut Pasteur, France
Alexandre Persat, EPFL, Switzerland