Microbiome analysis

To describe the rules of assembly of microbial communities. To achieve predictive capacity on the function of such communities, given their composition. This will allow determination of the conditions that favor particular combinations of species able to fulfill specific goals in biotechnological, clinical, and ecological scenarios. By combining information on the diversity and function of natural microbial communities, obtained by high-throughput sequencing, with mathematical modeling of microbial metabolism, we analyze how environmental changes influence the composition and function of the community. We also aim to understand the ecology of aquatic microorganisms. We want to learn how microorganisms survive in unusual environments and thus derive clues regarding the function of more conventional habitats. Another interest is to comprehend the diversity of microorganisms, and especially the mechanisms that maintain a large variety of rare bacteria species in aquatic ecosystems.