2020 has been an interesting year for scientific conferences and meetings, which typically bring dozens to thousands of researchers and professionals together to share their work. Some of the bigger meetings, or those occurring early on in the pandemic, elected to cancel their events because there was no time to adjust the logistics for hosting a massive meeting online.

As the year progressed with no sign of the pandemic abating, more conferences opted for a modified event online. This included live-stream and/or recorded content, spacing the event over a longer period to reduce “zoom fatigue”, and making network events smaller virtual versions. It certainly would have been more rewarding to be able to have these in person, but I am pleased that conference organizers chose safety as their priority.

In some ways, having virtual content made the material more accessible. recordings meant you could watch content at your convenience, more organizations provided or required subtitles for presentations, and those who would otherwise not be able to attend, because of cost, childcare, or travel constraints, were able to participate.

The Ishaq Lab presentations for 2020 is below, with presenters denoted with an asterisk (*).

1. Ishaq*, S.L.”Framing the discussion of microorganisms as a facet of social equity in human health”, inVIVO Planetary Health 2020 meeting. (revised to virtual) Amsterdam, Netherlands. Dec 2020.
2. Yeoman*, C., Lachman, M., Ishaq, S., Olivo, S., Swartz, J., Herrygers, M., Berarddinelli, J.  “Development of Climactic Oral and Rectal Microbiomes Corresponds to Peak Immunoglobin Titers in Lambs.”  Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD) 2020. (revised to virtual) Dec 5, 2020.
3. Ishaq^*, S.L., Hotopp, A., Silverbrand, S.,   MacRae, J.,  Stock, S.P.,  Groden, E. “Can a necromenic nematode serve as a biological Trojan horse for an invasive ant?” Entomological Society of America 2020. (revised to virtual). Nov 15-25, 2020.
4. Ouverson*, L..,  DuPre, M.E., Ishaq, S.L.,  Bourgault, M., Boss, D., Menalled, F., Seipel, T. “Soil microbial community response to cover crop mixtures, termination methods, and climate in the Northern Great Plains.” Ecological Society of America (ESA) 2020. (revised to virtual) Salt Lake City, UT. Aug 2020.
5. Menalled*, F.D., Seipel, T., Ishaq, S.L. “Agroecosystem resilience is modified by management system via plant–soil feedbacks.” Ecological Society of America (ESA) 2020. (revised to virtual) Salt Lake City, UT. Aug 2020.
6. [meeting cancelled] Horve*, P.F., Dietz, L., Ishaq, S.L., Fretz, M., Van Den Wymelenberg, K. “Characterization of Viable Microbial Communities on Healthcare Associated Window Components.” American Society for Microbiology Microbe 2020, Chicago, IL. Jun 2020.
7. [meeting cancelled] Horve*, P.F., Dietz, L., Ishaq, S.L., Fretz, M., Van Den Wymelenberg, K. “Characterization of Viable Microbial Communities on Healthcare Associated Window Components.” 2020 Microbiology of the Built Environment (MoBE) Gordon Research Conference, Andover, NH. Jun 2020.
8. Ishaq*, S.L. “Framing the discussion of microorganisms as a facet of social equity in human health”. 3rd annual  Institute for Health in the Built Environment Build Health 2020. (revised to virtual) Portland, OR. May 2020. (invited). Video.
9. Zeng*, H., Safratowich, B.D., Liu, Z., Bukowski, M.R., Ishaq, S.L. “Supplementation of calcium and vitamin D reduces colonic inflammation and beta-catenin signaling in C57BL/6 mice fed a western diet.” American Society for Nutrition 2020. (revised to virtual) Seattle, WA. June 2020.