Lesley Kelly has worked in the public and voluntary sectors for the past twenty years, dabbling in poetry and stand-up comedy along the way. She has won a number of writing competitions, including The Scotsman’s Short Story award in 2008. Her first novel, A Fine House in Trinity, was published by Sandstone Press in 2016, and was longlisted for the William McIlvanney Prize. Her Health of Strangers series is also published by Sandstone Press. She lives in Edinburgh with her husband and two sons.

The Bad Bugs Book Club was established by Jo Verran to get people interested in science, specifically microbiology, by reading novels in which infectious disease forms some part of the story. Jo is particularly interested in seeing how fiction reflects concerns about epidemic and pandemic disease: novels about influenza (and zombies!) are particularly relevant in this context.

The book club comprises both microbiologists and members of the general public, to encourage discussion of the science, such as accuracy and impact, as well as about the book. The book club has established a fairly fluid membership and new members are always welcome and even encouraged to set up their own book club, suggest books and accompanying activities, and give feedback about the books that have been read, using the website as the focus for communication. The website provides freely downloadable reading guides and meeting reports for almost sixty books that the group has read.

FEMS2019 will bring together leading scientists spanning different fields of microbiology to celebrate the best of microbiology. This congress will showcase the most recent developments in microbiology to address some of the global challenges we face today, such as antimicrobial resistance, environmental pollution and the emergence of pathogenic disease.

fems2019.org