We value and support microorganism research across the world. Azure Biosystems offers equipment and reagents that can aid in research involving microbes. Let’s celebrate International Microorganism Day, happening this year on Saturday, September 17, 2022.
Though they may seem small and insignificant to the everyday person, as researchers we know that microorganisms are a critical part of our everyday life. As we observed with the recent coronavirus pandemic, studying these microbes is important for creating cures and treatments. Microbes are used in a variety of ways that benefit the environment and in valuable processes such as food production, so understanding microbes is an important field of research.

What is International Microorganism Day?
International Microorganism Day (IMD) was started to highlight and celebrate the essential role that microbes play in our everyday lives. In honor of Anton van Leeuwenhoek’s discovery of the first microbe. Since its beginning in Portugal in 2017, the organization has greatly expanded and now partners with universities and event venues to hold events all over the world.
The mission behind IMD, according to their website, is to “to teach and provide a platform for microbe lovers around their world to share their passion and knowledge.”
4 Ways to Get Involved with IMD 2022
With numerous ways to participate, microbe lovers everywhere can get in on the conversation and share their knowledge and love of microbes. We’ve put together 4 easy ways to join in on the fun:
1. Attend an in-person event near you
Events are happening around the world, like Japan, Germany, Portugal, and India, to name a few.
- Brussels, Belgium – Museum of Natural Sciences, Saturday, 17th September 2022, 10am-6pm
- University of Catania (Italy) – Saturday, 17th September 2022, 9:15 am – 13:30pm Register here
- University of Dhaka (Bangladesh) – Saturday, 17th September 2022, 10am-5pm – Registration link here
- Sweden – Uppsala Antibiotic Center – Saturday, 17th September 2022, 10am-1pm – Registration link
To see if there is an event being held near you, check out their website for the most up-to-date list.
2. Tune in for one of the online events
Don’t see an event near you? Don’t fret! Many different organizations are holding different events for IMD, including live streams. Podcasts, like Microbes and Us by FEMS, will be doing a special episode. Simply do an internet search for IMD online events to see the many options.
3. Create your own event
This is a great opportunity for science outreach in local schools or even the local community. There are many interested in microbes that aren’t working in a scientific capacity, and this would be a great way to connect with them and bring more awareness to the importance of microbes. For ideas on how to put together an event, the IMD organization has put together an event handbook that can be found here.
4. Join the conversation on social media
Look for the hashtag #InternationalMicroorganismDay and follow @IntMicroDay anywhere on social media to see the events going on and the conversations already happening around microbes for the event. Happy International Microorganism Day!
To find more information about how Azure Biosystems can help in your research of microorganisms, check out our website.
To learn more about the International Microorganism Day 2022, check out the IMD’s website by clicking here.