Dear Colleagues,

we are very pleased to announce that the XLII European Culture Collections’ Organisation (ECCO) meeting will be held in the amazing city of Bari (Apulia region, Southern Italy), from 18 to 20 September 2024.

The ECCO meeting is organised by the Institute of Sciences of Food Production of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISPA), and sponsored by the CNR-ISPA Agri-food Microbial Culture Collection (ITEM), and the International Society on Mycotoxicology.

The meeting will be focused on the study, management and valorisation of Microbe & Microbiome, as biological resources and bio-systems crucial tools for a better understanding of biological systems, to support quality of life and promote the transition towards a better planet. The conference promotes a holistic and integrated approach on the value of microbial resources and Microbial Biological Research Centers (mBRCs): i) to support basic and applied transdisciplinary sciences, ii) as resilience factors to deal with global changes and sustainable development, and iii) to promote human and animal health in the framework of a OneHealth perspective.

ECCO supports cooperation and scientific exchanges concerning all the activities of mBRCs. Annual ECCO meetings represent an opportunity for the scientific community of the field, to discuss current trends and future development in the culture collections activities.

We would like to invite you to be part of the XLII ECCO meeting that will take place at “Sala Aldo Moro” (Dipartimento di Giurisprudenza), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, near the central train station and the wonderful historic city centre.