Find a Conference

Phishing Alert - GRC SPEAKERS AND DISCUSSION LEADERS ARE BEING TARGETED BY PHISHING ATTEMPTS DESIGNED TO COLLECT PAYMENT FOR REGISTRATION OR LODGING. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Microbiology of the Built Environment

Gordon Research Conference

Integrating Human Health with Building Microbiomes

July 15 - 20, 2018

Chair

Vice Chair

Conference Description

First Gordon Research Conference on the Microbiology of the Built Environment will include expert speakers, poster sessions, and an interactive agenda - all focused on the ecology, control, and positive and negative health impacts of microbes, viruses, allergens and biotoxins in buildings. Biddeford is located on the southern coast of Maine with outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities and is 90 miles from Boston, MA and 16 miles from Portland, ME.

Conference Program

Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm	Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introductory Comments by GRC Site Staff / Welcome from the GRC Chair
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm	How the Built Environment Microbiome Impacts the Human Microbiome Discussion Leader:
7:40 pm - 7:50 pm	Opening Remarks
7:50 pm - 8:00 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
8:00 pm - 8:30 pm	"The Home Microbiome and Childhood Asthma"
8:30 pm - 8:45 pm	Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:15 pm	"The Impact of Long-Term Space Travel on the Astronauts Microbiota"
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm	Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Building Design and Operation Impact Microbial Diversity and Exposure Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:10 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:40 am	"Factors that Influence Fungal Community Structure in Buildings"
9:40 am - 9:55 am	Discussion
9:55 am - 10:25 am	"Microbial Tracking of the International Space Station"
10:25 am - 10:40 am	Discussion
10:40 am - 11:10 am	Coffee Break
11:10 am - 11:40 am	"How Building Ventilation and Other Airflows Impact the Fate and Transport of Indoor Aerosols"
11:40 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm	Poster Previews
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Viruses in Buildings Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm	"Building Characteristics Influence Human Exposure to Respiratory Viruses"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm	Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm	"Absolute Humidity Modulates Influenza Transmission"
8:55 pm - 9:10 pm	Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Building Microbes, Allergies and Asthma Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:10 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:40 am	"Separating Protective and Adverse Effects of Indoor Microbiota on Asthma"
9:40 am - 10:00 am	Discussion
10:00 am - 10:30 am	"Indoor Allergens, Allergy and Asthma"
10:30 am - 10:45 am	Discussion
10:45 am - 11:15 am	Coffee Break
11:15 am - 11:45 am	"Asthma and Carpets: How Moisture in Homes Impacts Human Exposure to Fungal Allergens"
11:45 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm	Poster Previews
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Mold in Buildings Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm	"Indoor Fungal Concentrations Versus Outdoors and the Impact of Climate Change"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm	Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm	"Moisture Damage and Dampness and Impact on Indoor Microbiota"
8:55 pm - 9:10 pm	Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Pathogens in Premise Plumbing Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:10 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:40 am	"Mycobacteria in Showerhead Biofilms: Their Diversity, Geographic Distribution, and Potential Impacts on Human Health"
9:40 am - 9:55 am	Discussion
9:55 am - 10:25 am	"Surrounded by Mycobacteria"
10:25 am - 10:40 am	Discussion
10:40 am - 11:10 am	Coffee Break
11:10 am - 11:40 am	"Are Opportunistic Pathogens in Premise Plumbing the Source of Infection in Children with Cystic Fibrosis?"
11:40 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm	Poster Previews
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Pathogens in Buildings Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm	"Bringing Viral Indicators Indoors"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm	Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm	"Small but Fierce: How Virus Particle Structures Control Their Persistence in the Environment"
8:55 pm - 9:10 pm	Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:30 pm	General Discussion
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am	Business Meeting Nominations for the Next Vice Chair; Fill in Conference Evaluation Forms; Discuss Future Site and Scheduling Preferences; Election of the Next Vice Chair
9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Control of Pathogen Transmission in Buildings Discussion Leader:
9:00 am - 9:10 am	Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:10 am - 9:40 am	"Antibiotic Resistance, Pathogens and the Built Environment"
9:40 am - 9:55 am	Discussion
9:55 am - 10:25 am	"Modelling the Impact of Ventilation Design on Microorganism Dispersion and Deposition in Buildings"
10:25 am - 10:40 am	Discussion
10:40 am - 11:10 am	Coffee Break
11:10 am - 11:40 am	"Efficacy of Cleaning to Reduce HAI's"
11:40 am - 12:00 pm	Discussion
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm	Poster Previews
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm	Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm	Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	New Tools for Detecting Pathogens Discussion Leader:
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm	Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm	"High-Throughput Microarrays for Broad Spectrum Pathogen Detection"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm	Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm	"Taxonomer"
8:55 pm - 9:15 pm	Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm	Closing Remarks
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am	Breakfast
9:00 am	Departure

Contributors

Funding for this conference was made possible [in part] by 1 R13 AI 140535 - 01 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Conference Links

Conference History

Similar Conferences

Registration Fees Additional Fee Info

Similar Gordon Research Conferences and Seminars

Advanced Materials for Sustainable Infrastructure Development

February 15 - 20, 2026

Applied and Environmental Microbiology

July 13 - 18, 2025

Biology of Acute Respiratory Infection

February 22 - 27, 2026

Industrial Ecology

June 28 - July 3, 2026

Microbiology of the Built Environment (GRS)

June 21 - 22, 2025

Microbiome Editing

January 11 - 16, 2026

Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins

June 15 - 20, 2025

Contact Us

MyGRC Account
Check your application status, complete your registration, update your poster, change your rooming preference, make a bus reservation, print an invitation letter, print a receipt (which includes verification that you are presenting a poster) or print an invoice by logging into your account.

GRC Venues
Everything you need to know, to plan your trip.

FAQs
Instant answers to common questions.

Tell us how we can help

Call us and leave a detailed message at: 401-783-4011

*This voicemail is only checked once daily. Due to high volume of requests during the conference season, responses may be delayed.

You have no notifications