History
In 1982, the Italian Society of General Microbiology was founded on the initiative of several microbiologists, including Franco Graziosi, Giovanni Magni, Mario Polsinelli, Vittorio Treccani, and Vito Mastrandrea, reflecting a broad range of scientific interests. That same year, the Society held its first conference, electing Prof. Franco Graziosi as President and Prof. Laura Frontali as Secretary.
Many researchers from industry soon joined the Society, and in 1983 the assembly voted to adopt its current name: Società Italiana di Microbiologia Generale e Biotecnologie Microbiche (SIMGBM). Since then, annual conferences have been held, and in recent years, joint meetings have been organised with other societies (AGI, ABCD, SIBBM), culminating in the Society’s inclusion in the Italian Life Sciences Federation (FISV).
The Society has been led, in chronological order, by the following Presidents: Franco Graziosi, Laura Frontali, Marco Nuti, Enrica Galli, Mario Polsinelli, Franco Tatò, Maurilio De Felice, Davide Zannoni, Gianni Dehò, Giovanna Riccardi, Bianca Colonna, Ezio Ricca, Paolo Visca and Paolo Landini.
The birth of the Italian Society of General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology
Conversation by Maurilio De Felice with Laura Frontali
In 1982 the Italian Society of General Microbiology was born, a name that would be expanded the following year to include Microbial Biotechnology. This marked the birth of what is now our historic Society, SIMGBM. Yet there was already an Italian Society of Microbiology at the time.
What were the motivations that led a group of 24 scholars, including you, to take such an initiative?
Bylaws
Art.1 - SIMGBM
A nonprofit society is hereby established and named “Società Italiana di Microbiologia Generale e Biotecnologie Microbiche”.
Art.2 - Society
The purpose of the Society is to further the studies and research of General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology in the various heads of bacteriology, virology, mycology, phycology, protozology, and the study of the somatic cells of artificially cultivated higher organisms, as well as the technologies in which the aforementioned organisms and their products are used for the production of goods and services.
Art.3 - Organs of the Society
Organs of the Society are:
– The Members’ Meeting
– The President
– The Secretary-Treasurer
– The Steering Committee
Article 4 - Assets of the company
The assets of the Society consist of contributions from Members and donations to the Society. The membership fee is set by the Assembly.
Art.5 - Members
Upon its establishment, the proposing signatories are part of the Society as Founding Members. Scholars in General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology who carry out research activities in this field, substantiated by publications in scientific journals, are eligible for membership in the Society. Admission of Members is delegated to the Steering Committee of the Society, according to the practice to be established in the Bylaws. Delinquent Members may not be elected to office.
Art.6 - President
The President shall have the direction and representation of the Society, and the Secretary Treasurer shall have administrative responsibility and bookkeeping. The President and Treasurer may operate fully, on behalf of the Society, on multi-channel checking and bank accounts, use the instruments incidental thereto, such as ATM and credit cards, and have full operation for day-to-day administration on the bank account.
Art.7 - Steering Committee
The Steering Committee, beginning in the third year of the Society’s existence, consists of the President, Secretary Treasurer, and nine Directors. Appropriate rules of procedure should encourage representation on the Steering Committee from the major fields of General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology. The Steering Committee shall be convened by the President whenever he deems it necessary, or at the request of a majority of its members.
Art.8 - Committee Members
Committee members are elected by the Members’ Meeting. The President serves a three-year term and cannot be immediately re-elected to that office. Councilors are renewed for one-third each year beginning in the third year of the Society’s existence. They cannot be immediately re-elected to the office of Councilor, but may be elected President and Secretary Treasurer. For the first three years of the life of the Society, three Councilors drawn by lot each year will expire; thereafter each year the three Councilors with the most seniority will expire. The Secretary Treasurer shall serve a three-year term and may be immediately re-elected to the office only for another three-year term. The practice for submitting nominations to the Assembly is set by the Bylaws.
Article 9 - Members' Meeting
An Ordinary Meeting is called by the President at scientific meetings of the Society. An Extraordinary Meeting may be called by the President at the request of the Executive Committee by majority vote or at least 20 percent of the Members. All resolutions of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Meetings are passed by a majority vote of those present and with the presence of at least half of the duly registered members with the exception of votes for amendments to the Bylaws, which must be communicated to the Members at least 30 days before the Meeting that is to decide on them. The Ordinary Meeting shall consider for approval the final budget. This budget must be approved in advance by two auditors elected by the previous Assembly. Members may be consulted by letter on any matter of interest to the Society except for elections of officers and changes in the Bylaws, which must always be voted on and approved at the Meeting.
Art.10 - Social Year
The social year begins with January 1 and ends with December 31.
Art.11 - Regulations
For all that is not specifically provided for in the Bylaws, the Regulations apply. The Bylaws are approved by the Members’ Meeting upon the proposal of the President. Amendments to the Bylaws are decided by the Assembly by majority vote.
Regulations
CHAPTER I - Election of Officers
Art. 1 – The Steering Committee, at the Annual Meeting of Members, proposes one or more nominations for each of the expiring elective offices including those of the members of the Steering Committee who will represent the main fields of General Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology referred to in Art. 7 of the Bylaws. These areas will be reviewed periodically by the Steering Committee and discussed at the Members’ Meeting.
Art. 2 – At the same venue, or even earlier through the Steering Committee, members have the right to propose other nominations supported by at least 10 members, taking into account what is in the previous article.
Art. 3 – Voting is conducted list composed of the candidates referred to in arts. 1 e 2. Each candidate may be voted only for the office and area for which they are proposed. Each member casts, at the expiration of the terms of office, one vote for the President, one vote for the Secretary-Treasurer, and one vote for one position of Councilor for each of the indicated sectors. The President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Councilor from each sector who have obtained a simple majority of votes shall be elected. In case of a tie, a draw shall be made.
Article 4 – The Assembly elects two auditors by simple majority.
CHAPTER II - Admission of New Members
Art. 5 – The Executive Committee decides each year on the number of new members to be admitted the following year. Applications for membership, accompanied by Scientific Curriculum and a list of no more than five publications, must be submitted by two members. Each member may submit no more than two applicants. The Executive Committee reviews the applications, and decides on their eligibility for a vote of the Assembly. Those with a majority vote of those present shall be eligible.
Ordinary Members. Ordinary Members are those who, upon application and vote of the Assembly, become members of the Society as of January 1 of the year following the year in which the application is approved.
Junior Members. Junior Members are members under the age of 31 who, upon application and vote of the Assembly, become members of the Society as of January 1 of the year in which the application is approved. Junior Member status lasts for a maximum of 4 years and automatically lapses upon reaching the age of 31.
Honorary Members. Former presidents of SIMGBM who have been retired for at least three years and have distinguished themselves for special scientific and organizational merits within SIMGBM may be appointed Honorary Members. Nomination for Honorary Membership must be submitted and justified in writing by the Executive Board and must be approved by the Members’ Meeting, which provides for election by a simple majority. Appointment as an Honorary Member is for life.
CHAPTER III
Art. 6 – Membership dues are determined annually by the Members’ Assembly.
Ordinary Members are required to pay annual dues no later than April 30 of each year.
Failure to pay dues for 3 consecutive years will result in forfeiture of membership. To exercise the right to vote at the meeting, one must be in good standing with the payment of all dues, including the current year’s dues.
For the sole purpose of determining dues, Structured Ordinary Members (including also Fixed-term Researchers) are distinguished from Unstructured Ordinary Members (including but not limited to, Assignees, Fellows, Contractors, PhD students and other unstructured personnel over 31 years of age).
Junior Member dues are paid “one-time” at the same time as the application for membership and subject to acceptance.
The Honorary Member is exempt from paying annual dues.
Elected Offices
Governing Bodies in Office as of January 1, 2025
President (Expires 2027)
Marco Ventura
Dept. of Chemical, Life and Environmental Sustainability Sciences – University of Parma
Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/a – 43124 Parma
Secretary Treasurer (Expires 2027)
Prof. Arianna Tavanti
Department of Biology, University of Pisa
Via San Zeno 37 – 56127 Pisa
Steering Committee
Biomedical Microbiology Branch (Expired 2027)
Prof. Francesco Iannelli
Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena
Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci 16, V lotto, 1°P – 53100 Siena
Microbial Physiology Sector (Expired 2027)
Prof. Federica Briani
Department of Biosciences, University of Milan
Via Celoria 26 – 20133 Milano
Agribusiness Microbiology Sector (Expired 2027)
Dr. Chiara Devirgiliis
Food and Nutrition Research Center, CREA, Rome
Via Ardeatina 546 – 00178 Rome
Virology Sector (Expired 2026)
Francesca Esposito
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences – University of Cagliari
Cittadella Universitaria, SS 554 – Km. 4.5 – 09042 Monserrato (CA)
Genetics of Microorganisms Sector (Expired 2027)
Prof. Gianni Prosseda
Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin,” Sapienza University, Rome
Via dei Sardi 70 – 00185 Rome
Biotechnology Sector (Expires 2025)
Rosa Valeria Alduina
Dept. of Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF)
University of Palermo
Parco d’Orleans II, Viale delle Scienze, Ed 16 – 90128 Palermo
Industrial Microbiology Sector (Expires 2025)
Mariagrazia Pizza
Imperial College, South Kensington Campus
Huxley Building, 180 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington – London SW7 2AZ, UK
Environmental Microbiology Branch (Expires 2025).
Paola Quatrini
Dept. of Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF)
University of Palermo
Parco d’Orleans II, Viale delle Scienze, Ed 16 – 90128 Palermo
Systems Microbiology and Microbial Process Chemistry Sector (Expires 2026)
Livia Leoni
Department of Sciences – Roma Tre University
Viale G. Marconi 446 – 00146 Roma
Microbiome Sector (Expired 2027)
Prof. Francesca Turroni
Dept. of Chemical Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma
Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A – 43124 Parma
SIMGBM Delegates.
FEMS
Ezio Ricca
Department of Biology – University of Naples “Federico II” Monte S. Angelo Complex
Via Cinthia 4 – 80126 Napoli
FISV
Marco Ventura
Dept. of Chemical, Life and Environmental Sustainability Sciences – University of Parma
Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/a – 43124 Parma
FISV
Paolo Landini
Department of Biosciences – University of Milan
Via Celoria 26 – 20133 Milan
