The ASM NSW/ACT branch publishes a quarterly newsletter (Syntrophy) which is circulated by email to members. The main feature of Syntrophy is a lead article, which is typically prepared by a PhD student or Early Career Researcher to help publicise their work within the microbiology community; many such articles are written by finalists for our Nancy Millis Awards, and provide a way to showcase the talent and achievements of these young scientists. Syntrophy also provides reports on past branch events, alerts on upcoming events, notifications about prizes and awards, news from the local microbiology scene, and advertisements from sponsors. Past issues have been posted below, to provide a public record of this important archive of local microbiology activities and people in NSW and ACT. But if you want the *latest* Syntrophy and the most up-to-date information, you will need to become a member!
Welcome to the new online version of Syntrophy!
Volume 26 Issue 1
Editor's Note
Welcome to the refreshed Syntrophy.
As the new Chief Editor of Syntrophy, alongside Evan Gibbs and Alessandro Garritano, we are pleased to introduce an updated format designed to better connect our community and showcase the breadth of work across our membership. In addition to our regular features, the newsletter now adopts a live-link format that links with our social media presence, making it easier to access and share content and celebrate microbiology in NSW and the ACT.
We are also introducing several new features, including a dedicated space to highlight members’ media outputs and a “feature microbe” spotlight. Looking ahead, we plan to expand further with an “Inside the Lab” video series, offering insight into members’ research, laboratory practices, and recent publications.
This newsletter is intended to reflect and support our community, and your input is essential in shaping its direction. We invite you to take two minutes to complete our suggestion form and share ideas for future content:
Finally, we would like to acknowledge and thank Professor Slade Jensen for his significant contributions as editor in recent years.
Enjoy the issue,
Dr Thomas Jeffries, Chief Editor, Syntrophy
Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, School of Science Western Sydney University
Contact details
ASM National Office 9/397 Smith Street Fitzroy Victoria 3065 Australia Tel 1300 656 423 Fax 1300 655 841 www.theasm.org.au admin@theasm.com.au
ASM NSW-ACT Branch Chair Amy Cain amy.cain@mq.edu.au
ASM NSW-ACT Branch Secretary Kenya Fernandez kenya.fernandes@sydney.edu.au
ASM NSW-ACT Branch Treasurer Laurence Luu laurence.luu@unsw.edu.au
ASM NSW-ACT Syntrophy Editor Thomas Jeffries t.jeffries@westernsydney.edu.au
IN THIS ISSUE
ASM Summer Scholarship
Meet our newest ASM Summer Student, Isabelle Wann. Find out what drew Isabelle to microbiology and what was achieved over the summer … more.
If you’re interested in applying for a summer scholarship this year, look out for more details here.
FEATURE MICROBE
An Unexpected Resident: Priestia megaterium in a Ginger Bug from Newcastle
ASM NSW-ACT and The Conversation
See how our ASM committee members have been informing the community on all matters microbiology!
- Deep‑sea sponges survive in complete darkness in ways we didn’t know before by Alessandro Garritano
- Honey from Australian wildflowers has potent power to kill bacteria by Kenya Fernandes
- What is hantavirus, the disease that has killed 3 cruise ship passengers? by Tom Jeffries
- What you need to know about the Ebola outbreak that has the WHO concerned by Tom Jeffries
Upcoming Events
ASM National Conference 2026 in Melbourne, VIC
For more information on upcoming branch events, click here
Syntrophy Archive
Images of the Month. This new segment in Syntrophy highlights the diverse and beautiful forms of microorganisms, whether it is microscopic images, colonies on a plate, interactions with a host, artistic reinterpretations, or however you like to visualise your microbes! Please send in your submissions for the Microbe of the Month image section to Tom Jeffries. Please include both a high-resolution image and a brief description of what your image is and why you have chosen to highlight it in Syntrophy.
2026
2024