Microbiology Book Series #4 - Home

The aim of this book is to share the latest developments and advances in anti-microbial strategies. Chapters shall be written by active researchers, but presented in a way accessible to a public beyond those who are specialists in the topic dealt. "Anti" is here taken in the broadest sense as "against cell cycle, adhesion, or communication", when harmful for the human health, industry or economy (infectious diseases, chemotherapy, food, biomedicine, agriculture, livestock, biotechnology, water systems...). It will also cover topics on antimicrobial resistance, (early) microbial and resistance detection, enhancement of innate defenses against pathogens, as well as methods and techniques.

This call for papers is aimed to all those researchers who are active in any of the following themes:

  • Antimicrobial chemistry (experimental and computational). Synthesis and screening of novel natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic compounds. Structural determination. In-silico/ab-initio/denovo antimicrobials discovery. New targets.  Bioinformatics and comparative genomics...

  • Antimicrobial natural products. substances from terrestrial and marine organisms. Antimicrobial peptides and enzymes. Essential oils. Purification...

  • Antimicrobials mechanisms of action.

  • Antimicrobial resistance. Resistance to antibiotics and biocides. Superbugs. Multi-resistant strains. Emerging and re-emerging pathogens. Molecular mechanisms. Resistance genes. Prevention of resistance. Surveillance & statistics. Genetics and Proteomics...

  • Antimicrobial microbes. Microbial-derived toxins. Bacteriocins, archaeocins. Biocontrol approaches. Biosynthesis. Genetic and metabolic engineering. Gene regulation...

  • Antimicrobial viruses. Bacteriophages. Phage therapy and biocontrol in humans, animals, plants...

  • Antimicrobial materials science and surface chemistry. Biofilms. Antimicrobial, anti-adhesive surfaces & coatings. Biofilm formation, control and eradication. Techniques. Biofilms susceptibility and resistance to antimicrobials. Genomics and Proteomics...

  • Antimicrobials in consumer products. Textiles (hygienic clothing, activewear, medical textiles...), paper industry, active packaging (food industry...), public buildings (hospitals, schools, restaurants, day care centers, nursing homes...). Safety and toxicological aspects...

  • Antimicrobial physics. Exploitation of phys. properties: surface tension (nano-emulsions), radiat., ultrasounds, temperature; nano-materials (nano-particles, nano-tubes/wires, nano-crystals, nano-grains...).

  • Non-antibiotic biocides. Hygiene and Sterilizing. Disinfectants, antiseptics, preservatives, resistance...

  • Techniques and Methods. Susceptibility Testing. Rapid microbial and resistance detection. Antibiotics detection in complex samples. Microscopy, microanalysis & spectroscopy. Single-cell analysis. High-throughout studies. Nanomechanical studies. Microfluidics. Lab-on-a-chip concepts...

  • Interfering microbe-microbe communication as antimicrobial strategy.

  • Strengthening of innate immune system as antimicrobial strategy. Immunotherapy, immunomodulating agents, cytokines, hormones... Novel vaccines for preventing or treating disease...

  • Antimicrobials evaluation. Pre-clinical and clinical trials. Antimicrobial chemistry (experimental and computational). Analytical detection of antibiotics in complex samples.

  • Formal and non-formal education on the above topics.


Please, take some time to read the full list of topics that can be submitted to this book.


Educationally-oriented original research papers and mini-reviews are especially welcome, although more "regular" research papers might also be suitable if the addressed topic is clearly exposed for non-specialists. Mini-reviews can be thematic in nature, or focused on the activity of a specific research group. In this latter case, the work should provide an integrated view of the research carried out by that group across the years.

If you are interested in submitting a chapter proposal, please read the Instructions for authors section.


Deadline for chapter submission: 14th May 2013

  • Book title: Microbial pathogens and strategies for combating them: science, technology and education
  • Editor: A. Mendez-Vilas
  • Publisher: Formatex Research Center
  • Publication date: Autumn 2013