Congratulations to Principal Investigators Michael J. Morowitz, MD, FACS, Natalia Luisa Hiller, PhD (Carnegie Mellon University), Alison Morris, MD (Pitt Dept. of Medicine), and Warren Christopher Ruder, PhD (Pitt Dept. of Bioengineering), whose project “2019 Pittsburgh Rust Belt Microbiome Conference” received funding from the National Institutes of Health. The funds will be used to develop a biennial symposium uniting the microbial community from research institutions, training institutions, and medical centers in Pittsburgh and nearby cities, as well as nationally. Participants will present cutting edge clinical, translational, and basic investigations on human pathogens and the microbiome. The 2019 Conference will be centered on personalized medicine in the context of mucosal microbiomes and their evolution and pathogenic potential. The conference will bring together top scientists from multiple disciplines and institutions to advance this vital field and actively involve junior scientists.