2017 ASM Tri-State Scientific Meeting

The 2017 ASM Tri-State Scientific Meeting was held in conjunction with the ASM Parasitology and Tropical Medicine SIG Parasitology Masterclass during September 2017 at the Novotel City in Darwin, NT.

The ASM Tri-State Scientific Meeting has been initiated and supported by the SA and NT and WA ASM branches for over 25 years. It is held every 3 years and organised alternately between SA/NT and WA. This year it was SA/NTs turn to organise the meeting. The aim of Tri-State is to effectively bring ASM to the Australian Top End providing NT ASM members and colleagues with an informative meeting on scientific and clinical Microbiology uniquely relevant to northern and central Australia incorporating local and indigenous issues. The format of the meeting is always relaxed, casual and intimate with the opportunity to also provide delegates with networking opportunities they otherwise may not have.

In order to attract more delegates, it was decided this year to combine the Tri-State meeting with another meeting. As parasitology is also relevant to the Top End, the Parasitology and Tropical Medicine SIG were approached and were more than happy to form with us to provide back to back meetings.

The LOC consisted of the following: Paul Sideris (SA), Chris Ossowicz (SA), Peter Traynor (SA), Harsha Sheorey (VIC), Stephen Kidd (SA/NT Branch Chair), Phil Giffard (NT), Rebecca Wake (WA), Pam Smith (NT) and Brooke Taylor (NT).

The international speakers included Professor Harvey Rubin from the University of Pennsylvania USA, Dr Richard Bradbury from CDC in the US and Dr Bert Mulder from The Netherlands. The Scientific Program for Tri-State included sessions on Mycobacteria, Scabies, Bacterial Skin infections in the Top End, STDs, Antimicrobial Sensitivity Testing, Microbiology in the Congo, Australia’s Preparedness for Emerging and Exotic Vector-borne Diseases and the Energise the Chain global project. All the speakers were excellent and relevant and the audience was engaged and inspired.

Both meetings were well attended; 56 delegates attended the Tri-State Meeting and 54 attended the Parasitology Masterclass (PMC). The majority attended both meetings. All in all it was an excellent and very successful meeting enjoyed by the delegates and presenters alike.

Local ABC Radio requested an interview with Harvey Rubin. The interview discussing the Energise the Chain project can be heard at the following link: http://www.abc.net.au/radio/darwin/programs/afternoons/phone-towers-saving-vaccines-and-children/8986070

The LOC together with SA/NT ASM are extremely grateful for funding provided by ASM to hold this meeting. We are also extremely grateful for the sponsorship provided by ThermoFisher Scientific and Cell Biosciences. Without this contribution of funds it would not be possible to hold meetings such as this that benefit our members enormously.