Welcome to the website of the Microbial Ecology, Evolution and Application workgroup

Microbial communities, or microbiomes, are vital to the functioning of ecosystems and human-engineered environments alike. Our group's overarching goal is to uncover the mechanisms that drive the ecology and evolution of microbiomes in both natural and artificial settings. By understanding these mechanisms, we aim to manipulate and guide microbiomes toward desired functional and ecological states, supporting a sustainable bioeconomy for the future.

We tackle complex questions using a combination of genomics, metabolomics, and traditional microbiological approaches. Our research is inspired by observations in the field and refined through problem-solving in the laboratory. By bridging these two settings, we generate insights that are grounded in real-world challenges and tested in controlled conditions.

Our work spans three distinct but interconnected systems:

• Soil Microbiomes: Investigating how microbial communities in soil contribute to soil health, nutrient cycling, and agricultural productivity, with a focus on improving crop resilience.

• Host Microbiomes: Exploring the interactions between microbiomes and their hosts to enhance health, growth, and disease resistance.

• Synthetic Communities: Engineering microbial consortia in the lab to test hypotheses about microbial interactions, with potential applications in biotechnology and agriculture.

By studying these diverse microbiomes, we aim to develop tools and knowledge that will allow us to steer microbiomes toward optimized functional states, contributing to a sustainable future in agriculture, environmental management, and beyond.