Our pioneering research aims to uncover fundamental microbial networking principles and understand their role in diverse contexts, ranging from intracellular endosymbionts to intercellular cross-kingdom microbiomes. We utilize innovative microscopy methods, cutting-edge omics technologies, and bioinformatic analyses to decipher previously unknown microbial communication and cooperation forms. These findings have potentially transformative implications for our understanding of microbial communities and could open new avenues for applications in medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. Journalists will find diverse points of contact with us, ranging from the visualization of complex microbial interactions to exploring the ecological and biotechnological relevance of networking.

Frontier Research

MibiNet addresses fundamental questions about the organization and function of microbial networks that have been insufficiently understood to date. CRC1535 will pursue a profound “learning from nature” strategy: fundamental principles and unifying concepts from natural examples of stable microbial interactions will be challenged by implementing them in the synthetic construction of designer organelles, endosymbionts, and cross-kingdom communities. We transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries by integrating innovative methods from cell biology, genomics, physics, and bioinformatics to decipher the complex interactions between microorganisms at various levels – from subcellular processes to global biogeochemical cycles.

Our research is groundbreaking as it uncovers novel concepts of microbial communication and cooperation, and could revolutionize our understanding of the fundamental principles of life in microbial communities. This innovative approach, deconstructing and synthetically reconstructing natural systems, holds the potential for scientific breakthroughs in microbiome research, new antimicrobial strategies, and the sustainable use of microbial resources in biotechnology and agriculture. By investigating previously unknown mechanisms and developing novel analytical tools, we are venturing into uncharted scientific territory and thus addressing genuine ‘Frontier Research’ questions.