BLAST IS ORGANIZED AND OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR EXEMPT PURPOSES WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 501(C)(3). THE MAIN ACTIVITY OF BLAST IS TO ORGANIZE AND HOST A BIENNIAL CONFERENCE/MEETING (EACH BEING A "BLAST MEETING") AT WHICH RESEARCHERS IN THE BACTERIAL LOCOMOTION AND SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH COMMUNITY CAN MEET, COLLABORATE, AND FURTHER THEIR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. BLAST MEETINGS ARE HELD IN ODD NUMBERED YEARS. THE LAST HYBRID BLAST XVII MEETING WAS HELD IN JANUARY 2023 IN CHARLESTON, SC AND WAS ATTENDED BY 107 SCIENTISTS IN PERSON AND 135 SCIENTISTS ONLINE. WE ARE CURRENTLY PLANNING OUR NEXT HYBRID MEETING (BLAST XVIII) TO BE HELD IN CANCUN, MEXICO IN JANUARY 2025. BETWEEN BLAST MEETINGS, WE FACILITATE INTERACTION AND COMMUNICATION AMONG MEMBERS OF THE BLAST RESEARCH COMMUNITY USING DIGITAL MEANS (E.G. X, EMAIL, WEBSITE). IN PARTICULAR, WE SHARE AND DISCUSS PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH PROGRESS, ADVERTISE RELEVANT JOB OPENINGS, AND PUBLICIZE OTHER CONFERENCES.