Our planet contains more than 10^30 (a one with thirty zeros) microorganisms. Because they play a key role in all natural cycles, life would not be possible without them. In natural ecosystems such as nutrient cycles, they clean up contaminants in soil and water, influence the growth, development and health of their hosts and capture solar energy. Microorganisms thus largely determine how organisms function and whether they stay healthy or become ill. Useful micro-organisms have been used since time immemorial for plant and animal production processes and more recently for cleaning up contaminants and producing sustainable chemicals and materials from plant waste or directly from sunlight. The latter comes under the heading of biobased economy. However, the majority of microorganisms on this planet have not yet been mapped. The question is how micro-organisms influence ecosystems, ranging from causing diseases to protecting against various stress factors such as infections and drought, changing behaviour and exchanging hereditary material. Understanding this is key to predicting ecosystem behaviour and the sustainable use of beneficial microorganisms.
Connecting character
With the combination of, among others, the scientific fields of microbial ecology, physiology and genomics, we can gain the necessary insight into micro-organisms and their complex interactions and networks. This is important, for example, to find out how infectious diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans or how we control harmful micro-organisms in healthcare, animal husbandry and the environment. These questions shift the focus from studying species to a systems approach to interactions and the stakes for health and the environment. This requires both fundamental and applied research with a multidisciplinary character.
