The 9th International Conference on Magnetotactic Bacteria (MTB2026) was held in Qingdao, Shandong Province, from June 28 to July 2, 2026. Hosted by the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS), the conference was chaired by Academician PAN Yongxin and brought together over 100 delegates from nine countries.

The conference covered six key topics at the frontier of magnetotactic bacteria research: molecular biology and synthetic biology, biodiversity and ecological evolution, magnetotaxis and behavioral motility, geoscience and industrial applications, magnetosome biomedicine, and biotechnology. With more than 40 invited talks, the program provided a comprehensive overview of recent advances and emerging trends at the life–environment–materials research interface.

Marking the series' return to China after 16 years, MTB2026 strengthened international collaboration in magnetotactic bacteria research and laid the groundwork for future developments in biogeoscience and biomedical applications.

Group photo