National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences (INCDSB), represented by Dr Ovidiu Vrâncianu and Drd. Roxana-Elena Cristian, took part in the 11th edition of the OPEN Science conference, organised by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), which took place from 19 to 23 August in Pucon, Chile, bringing together researchers from over 50 countries and from diverse fields, including geology, biology, climatology, glaciology and oceanography.

The INCDSB's participation aimed at presenting the results of its own and partners' research through a poster entitled "Unlocking Life in Frozen Desolation: A Voyage into the Polar Microbiome through Cutting-Edge Sequencing Techniques".

The poster illustrates the use of DNA sequencing techniques to investigate the polar microbiome, making an important contribution to understanding microbial biodiversity in extreme environments. This presentation reflects INCDSB's commitment to the SCAR mission, which encourages international collaboration and scientific advancement in Antarctic research.