ÖGMBT: Dr Michael Sauer Elected President of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS)
For the first time, an industrial microbiologist leads the Federation of European Microbiological Societies – and for the first time, a scientist from Austria.
VIENNA, 15 September 2026 – Viennese microbiologist Michael Sauer has been elected President of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS). The federation connects more than 50 microbiological member societies across 40 countries, representing over 30,000 microbiologists. Dr Sauer will take office in 2027 for a three-year term running until 2029. His election represents a double first: he is both the first industrial microbiologist and the first scientist from Austria to head the organisation since its foundation in 1974.
Dr Sauer spent many years in academic research with close ties to industry, co-founded a biotechnology start-up, and currently works in industrial research and development (currently at OMV AG, and independently from early 2027). Since January 2025 and until the end of this year, he serves as President of the Austrian Association of Molecular Life Sciences and Biotechnology (ÖGMBT). He has represented the ÖGMBT in various FEMS bodies for several years, most recently as a member of the Board of Trustees. “Learned societies are research infrastructure, much like laboratories and data centres – though they are rarely seen that way,” says Dr Sauer. “They are the place where a doctoral student and an industrial process engineer sit at the same table. Their journals safeguard the quality of what is considered sound scientific knowledge, and their grants enable early-career researchers to take their first steps across international borders.”
“Making microbiology visible”
A key priority of his presidency will be to increase the visibility of microbiology in political decision-making processes. The discipline's scope is vast: overcoming antimicrobial resistance requires a fundamental understanding of microorganisms themselves. In agriculture and the environment, microbial communities (groups of diverse microorganisms that live together in the same environment and interact with one another) sustain soil fertility, support plant health, and purify water. In the Earth's climate system, microorganisms govern the carbon and nitrogen cycles. In industry, they provide the biological processes needed to manufacture chemicals and fuels from renewable rather than fossil feedstocks. FEMS is also among the learned societies that jointly launched a global climate initiative in 2025. “To this day, microorganisms barely feature in climate models or climate policy, even though they drive the underlying biogeochemical cycles,” says Dr Sauer. “This is a gap that no single society can bridge on its own.”
Having someone from industry at the helm of FEMS marks a significant departure: European microbiology has historically been rooted in academia, yet a growing proportion of its real-world applications originates in industry. In a small country like Austria, short lines of communication — between disciplines as well as between the laboratory and pilot plant — are a defining strength. FEMS encompasses the full breadth of the field, spanning medical microbiology, environmental and microbiome research, and industrial biotechnology.
How smaller nations in Europe can build momentum and influence is currently demonstrated in Vienna: the FEMS Regional COLLAB, an event co-hosted by the microbiological societies of Austria, Croatia, and Slovenia, focuses on establishing cross-border project consortia. While small research nations often carry limited weight individually within European funding programmes, their collective impact is substantial.
Microbiologists in Austria access FEMS through their membership in the ÖGMBT. FEMS awards research and travel grants, supports summer schools, and organises a biennial European congress. The first congress during Dr Sauer's term of office, FEMS MICRO 2027, will take place in Ljubljana from 5 to 8 July 2027.
About FEMS
FEMS exists to create the spaces, networks, and shared voice that help microbiology communities make a meaningful impact. As the convener of European microbiology, it works with its Member Societies to strengthen scientific communities, drive science, uplift the next generation, and help microbiologists contribute to solving global challenges.
Through FEMS, more than 50 Member Societies from 40 countries, representing over 30,000 microbiologists worldwide, come together to exchange expertise, build skills, contribute to policy and public conversations, and strengthen the role of microbiology in society.
fems-microbiology.org
About the ÖGMBT
The Austrian Association of Molecular Life Sciences and Biotechnology (ÖGMBT) represents approximately 1,300 life sciences professionals and students, alongside 90 member companies and institutions, making it Austria’s largest life sciences association.
oegmbt.at
Interview Enquiries
Dr Michael Sauer is available for interview requests via:
michael-sauer@posteo.at | Tel: +43 699 12 67 11 02
Media Contacts
Austrian Association of Molecular Life Sciences and Biotechnology (ÖGMBT)
Alexandra Khassidov
Vienna BioCenter, Paulusgasse 12, B108, 1030 Vienna, Austria
office@oegmbt.at | Tel: +43 676 3611978
IISC Institute of International Science Communication
Thomas Kvicala
kvicala@iisc.at | Tel: +43 660 444 00 47