The Archaea are a fascinating and diverse group of prokaryotic organisms with deep roots overlapping those of eukaryotes. The focus of this GRC conference, "Archaea: Ecology Metabolism & Molecular Biology", will expand on established themes centered on genomics, biochemistry and biodiversity and introduce emerging topics concerning biomedicine and biotechnology. The strength of this conference lies in its ability to couple reputable areas with new scientific topics in an atmosphere of stimulating exchange. This conference remains an excellent opportunity for younger scientists to interact with world experts in this field.