Dr. Cristina Bez, Bacteriology lab and MSCA Postdoctoral Fellow currently in San Diego, USA asks us to “Look closer – life on Earth depends on what you can’t see”.
This is a gallery of microbial life grown on petri dishes. Each color, shape, and texture tells a story of a microbe with its essential role in the ecosystem. Microbes can fix nitrogen, unlock nutrients in the soil, produce natural antibiotics and life-saving medicines, keep our soils healthy and resilient, laying the groundwork for sustainable agriculture. Even more fascinating is how these microorganisms communicate —they actually “talk” to each other using chemical signals, coordinating their actions and forming intricate multi-species communities.
LuxSoM aims to uncover how bacteria communicate within complex microbiomes—focusing on LuxR solos, a widespread bacterial regulator —to reveal hidden signaling molecules and enable microbiome-based solutions for sustainable agriculture.
This microscopic world is under threat from pollution, monoculture farming, climate change, and habitat loss. That’s why protecting microbial life means protecting the health of our entire planet. Just like forests and coral reefs, microbial ecosystems need our attention and respect.
