The Mycology Club of the University of Bucharest has been officially selected to represent Romania in the International Microorganism Day (IMD) 2026 — a global science communication initiative led by the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) since 2020. Originally launched by the Portuguese Society of Microbiology (a FEMS member society) in 2017, IMD has grown into an international movement uniting universities, research institutes, and schools to celebrate the vital, often invisible, role microorganisms play in our world.
As part of the IMD initiative, the Mycology Club — hosted by ICUB and the Faculty of Biology — will organize a nationwide, FEMS-supported event titled “Microbes: Friends or Foes?”, bridging university research with primary and secondary school education across Romania.
The Mycology Club of the University of Bucharest team is coordinated by Antonio-Mark Maldea and brings together members of the Faculty of Biology and the Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), including Prof. Ahmed M. Abdel-Azeem, Dr. Parisa Razaghi, Georgiana-Alexandra Grigore, Emilia-Andreea Tănase, Sophia-Ileana Secașiu, and Vlad Vrapcea.
The initiative benefits from the institutional support of Prof. Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc, Vice-Rector for Research of the University of Bucharest; Prof. Lia-Mara Dițu, Director of the Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology; and Prof. Liliana Burlibașa, Dean of the Faculty of Biology, whose support reinforces the University’s commitment to microbiology education, science communication, and engagement with the wider community.
Registration
Registration is now open to students, teachers, and schools interested in participating by accessing the following registration link.
The exact event date and location will be announced shortly to all registered participants at the communicated e-mail addresses and via UB & ICUB official communication channels.
About the event
‘Microbes: Friends or Foes?’ explores the dual nature of microorganisms — from destructive plant pathogens and spoilage organisms (‘foes’) to life-sustaining fungal networks, fermentation yeasts, and bioremediators (‘friends’). Designed for primary and secondary school students, the programme offers hands-on laboratory experiences, creative artistic activities, and mentorship from young scientists, aiming to spark early interest in microbiology and mycology among Romania’s next generation of researchers.
Programme
| Time | Activity |
| 09:00 – 09:30 | Welcome & Opening Keynote: “The Invisible Kingdom: Microbes Around Us” |
| 09:30 – 10:30 | Workshop – The Foes: plant pathogens, molds, and plant defense mechanisms under portable microscopes |
| 10:30 – 11:30 | Workshop – The Friends: fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mycorrhizal networks (“Wood Wide Web”), environmental biotech |
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Hands-On Station: Agar Art creation and environmental sampling (soil, air, leaves) |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch Break & Networking |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Field Exploration & Sampling: guided outdoor foray for decomposers and microbial samples |
| 14:30 – 15:30 | Lab Analysis & Molecular Diagnostics: culturing, slide preparation, basic DNA isolation |
| 15:30 – 16:30 | Fungi in Innovation & Future Tech: biomaterials, mycoremediation, sustainable mushroom cultivation |
| 16:30 – 17:00 | Student Q&A, Exhibition & Showcase, certificate presentation, closing remarks |
Why It Matters?
The fact that the Mycology Club of the University of Bucharest was chosen to represent Romania on the international IMD stage highlights the growing recognition of the University of Bucharest’s mycology research and public engagement efforts, and strengthens the university’s role in connecting academic research with science education nationwide. It also reflects the University’s broader commitment — in this case, through ICUB and the Faculty of Biology — to fostering collaboration between academic researchers and the wider public.
More information about the Mycology Club of the University of Bucharest is available here.
More about the International Microorganism Day can be accessed here.
Postări asemănătoare:
Interested in mycology and related fields? ICUB and the Faculty of Biology invites you to the University of Bucharest Mycology Club (UBMC)
The University of Bucharest, the University of Tübingen and the Autonomous University of Madrid invites their students to register for the micro-programs in Global Awareness and Civic Engagement
The University of Bucharest, the University of Tübingen and the Autonomous University of Madrid invites their students to register for the micro-programs in Global Awareness and Civic Engagement
