Spirochete Adaptation, Pathogenesis and Impact on Public Health

The phylum Spirochaetota forms an evolutionarily and structurally unique group of bacteria. Spirochetes are ubiquitous in nature due to their ability to adapt and persist within an extraordinarily wide range of environments and hosts. The diverse phylum includes species associated with human and zoonotic diseases, such as Lyme disease, relapsing fever borreliosis, periodontal diseases, syphilis, endemic trepanemotoses, leptospirosis and dysentery. The global burden of spirochetal diseases, particularly Lyme disease, syphilis and leptospirosis, continues to increase annually due to a variety of factors, including climate change and limited access to health care. Due to the phylogenetic divergence of spirochetes from model bacteria, as well as their fastidious nature, our knowledge of the biology of spirochetes is still limited. Since 1994, the biennial Gordon Research Conference on the Biology of Spirochetes has served as the foremost forum for researchers who study this diverse and successful group of bacteria. The highly interactive format features presentation of cutting-edge, unpublished scientific research at the forefront of spirochetology followed by open, collegial discussions. The Biology of Spirochetes conferences have fostered numerous productive, often lifelong, collaborations between investigators from a broad spectrum of backgrounds, interests and experimental approaches. The conference also provides a welcoming atmosphere for trainees and early-career scientists to introduce themselves and their research to the spirochete community and interact with established investigators in the field. Critical to our mission of enhancing career development is the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), held the weekend preceding the Gordon Research Conference, which provides a relaxed, yet stimulating, setting for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to present their work, discuss their findings, and build collaborations. The 2026 meeting will cover topics from fundamental science to translational research at the frontiers of spirochete biology.