# Call for Abstracts: “Biofilms and Astrobiology” Session at AbSciCon 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** Announcements/Jobs\ **Created:** [December 10, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://awg.osdr.space/t/call-for-abstracts-biofilms-and-astrobiology-session-at-abscicon-2026/3710 "2025-12-10T16:51:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sarahbio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@sarahbio](https://awg.osdr.space/u/sarahbio)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://awg.osdr.space/t/call-for-abstracts-biofilms-and-astrobiology-session-at-abscicon-2026/3710/1 "2025-12-10T16:51:56Z")
Hi Everyone, I’m writing to share information on an upcoming conference session that may be of interest to you. **If you research biofilms / microbial mats in the context of geobiology and astrobiology** , I encourage you to submit an abstract to a session I am co-convening at[[u]AbSciCon 2026[/u]](https://www.agu.org/abscicon "https://www.agu.org/abscicon"): “From Precambrian Ecosystems to Planetary Exploration: Biofilms as Model Systems for Astrobiological Research.” (Flyer attached.) **The deadline for abstract submission is Wednesday, January 14, 2026 by 11:59 pm EST / Thursday, January 15, 2026 by 03:59 UTC.** **About this session:** This session welcomes presentations on microbial biofilm and mat research with astrobiological relevance. This research can include (but is not limited to) biofilm formation, biofilm physiology and structure, biofilm biosignature production and preservation, biofilm interactions and biofilms in extreme environments. We welcome presentations on studies using a variety of approaches such as microscopy, spectroscopy, omics-based analysis, isotopic and geochemical measurements, and field investigation in analog sites. **About AbSciCon 2026:** AbSciCon 2026 will take place May 17-22, 2026 in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. For more information, please visit[[u]https://www.agu.org/abscicon[/u]](https://www.agu.org/abscicon "https://www.agu.org/abscicon") **Please reference the below as you prepare your abstract:** - [Abstract guidelines](https://agu.confex.com/agu/abscicon26/prelim.cgi/ModuleMeetingInfo/viewguidelines "https://agu.confex.com/agu/abscicon26/prelim.cgi/ModuleMeetingInfo/viewguidelines") - [Abstract submission and presentation details](https://www.agu.org/abscicon/present#abstract-submissions "https://www.agu.org/abscicon/present#abstract-submissions") Thank you very much! Best, Sarah Gonzalez Henao PhD Candidate Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology Department Earth and Environmental Science Department Michigan State University [@PPawg](https://awg.osdr.space/groups/ppawg) [@MicrobesAWG](https://awg.osdr.space/groups/microbesawg) @fumimuratani @alexa.sadier @stefan_green @Alex ---
**Author:** ![rtscott2001](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/awg.osdr.space/rtscott2001/32/5_2.png) [@rtscott2001](https://awg.osdr.space/u/rtscott2001)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 5:13pm UTC](https://awg.osdr.space/t/call-for-abstracts-biofilms-and-astrobiology-session-at-abscicon-2026/3710/2 "2025-12-10T17:13:58Z")
Thanks for sharing @sarahbio Really good to know about. The Planetary Protection AWG actually has a whole entire session at AbSciCon as well > **[The NASA Open Science Data Repository Planetary Protection Analysis Working...](https://agu.confex.com/agu/abscicon26/prelim.cgi/Session/276439)** > > Introducing the new Planetary Protection Analysis Working Group - we welcome contributions relevant to the primary AWG mission to support the goals of Planetary Protection by making and developing unified and international standards for bioburden... @stefan_green @Alex Haley Sapers [@PPawg](https://awg.osdr.space/groups/ppawg) ---
**Author:** ![alavia](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/awg.osdr.space/alavia/32/2000_2.png) [@alavia](https://awg.osdr.space/u/alavia)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://awg.osdr.space/t/call-for-abstracts-biofilms-and-astrobiology-session-at-abscicon-2026/3710/3 "2025-12-10T17:47:05Z")
@katherine.j.baxter @nicholas.brereton What do you think about submitting our Methods paper’s abstract for this conference? ---
**Author:** ![Stighe](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/awg.osdr.space/stighe/32/2946_2.png) [@Stighe](https://awg.osdr.space/u/Stighe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 6:11pm UTC](https://awg.osdr.space/t/call-for-abstracts-biofilms-and-astrobiology-session-at-abscicon-2026/3710/4 "2025-12-10T18:11:42Z")
I’d be happy to chime in on space biofilms Scott Tighe Senior Researcher Microbiome and Metagenomics Scarborough Lab Department of Civil and Environme ntal Engineering University of Vermont Burlington Vermont USA 05405