Synthetic communities

Synthetic microbial communities are simplified, controlled systems composed of a select group of microbial species. These models allow us to replicate and study specific microbial interactions under defined conditions, providing an essential tool for testing hypotheses generated from our other lines of research.

By reducing the complexity of natural microbiomes, synthetic communities offer the ability to manipulate environmental variables, microbial compositions, and host-microbe interactions with precision. This enables us to uncover the underlying mechanisms driving community dynamics, stability, and functionality—insights that are often obscured in more complex, natural environments.

While we are in the early stages of developing these systems, synthetic communities will be a key tool in advancing our research across soil and host microbiomes, helping us apply fundamental microbiome insights to real-world challenges.