AlgaHolobiont

Marine Microbiome Project

A specific focus of environmental research in marine biotechnology is tackled in the Holobiont project. The work is implemented in collaboration with the Natural History Museum in Paris at the Chemistry and Biology of Microorganisms group. The project uses cutting edge omics tools to study microorganisms and their interactions with the environment or host organisms. The objectives are to elucidate the tight interplay between fungi, bacteria and viruses on macroalgal surfaces using chemical ecology and molecular biology. Spatial transcriptomics is applied to gain insight into these tight association and their importance in the cultivation of macroalgae and their sensibility to pathogens. Furthermore, brown algae are studied as a potential biocontrol agent in agricultural soils.