Microbial stress meeting: From systems to molecules and back

The 4th Microbial Stress Meeting: from Systems to Moleculesand Back was held in April 2018 in Kinsale, Ireland. The meeting covered five main topics: 1. Stress at the systems and structural level; 2. Responses to osmotic and acid stress; 3. Stress responses in single cells; 4. Stress in host-pathogen interactions; and 5. Biotechnological optimisation of microorganisms through engineering and evolution, over three days. Almost 130 delegates, from 24 countries and both the industrial and academic sectors, attended the meeting, presenting 9 lectures, 28 short talks and 52 posters. The meeting showcased the diverse and rapid advancements in microbial stress research, from the single cell level to mixed populations. In this report, a summary of the highlights from the meeting is presented.