30 September  2025
   
  
  
    A new collaborative study from EMBL Rome scientists reveals a father’s preconception environment can leave subtle, but detectable, molecular footprints in embryos, able to shape development and long-term offspring health.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
         
        
  10 February  2025
   
  
  
    Scientists have discovered that gut bacteria can alter molecular signatures in the brain, using a brand new method to study how carbohydrates modify proteins.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
         
        
  13 November  2024
   
  
  
    Scientists have developed a new machine-learning model to predict microbial load — the density of microbes in our guts — and used it to demonstrate how microbial load plays an important role in disease-microbiome associations.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
         
        
  24 September  2024
   
  
  
    EMBL Heidelberg researchers compared the effect of drugs on isolated bacteria versus those growing in communities. This is the first study showing that bacteria are more resilient when in community due to cross-protection strategies. This could help researchers design more efficient therapies.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
         
        
  31 July  2024
   
  
  
    Study shows that gut bacteria can metabolise carcinogens and cause them to accumulate in distant organs, leading to tumour development.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
         
        
  27 June  2024
   
  
  
    EMBL researchers and their partners have been studying microbial functions and interactions for the benefit of human and planetary health for the last two decades.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
         
        
  1 May  2024
   
  
  
    Scientists from EMBL Rome and EMBL Heidelberg found that disrupting the gut microbiome of male mice increases the risk of disease in their offspring. Their findings suggest that a father’s pre-conception environment can have lifelong effects on offspring.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
         
        
  8 March  2024
   
  
  
    The MGnify data resource for microbiome data has launched the latest MGnify Genomes catalogue comprising 112,951 genomes derived from mouse gut datasets, represented by 2,847 species-level cluster representative genomes. This catalogue was generated as part of our work with the MRC funded…
    
          
  
    2024
    
    updates-from-data-resources    
   
         
        
  26 October  2023
   
  
  
    Jan Kosinski, Julia Mahamid, and Georg Zeller have received grants to enable ambitious projects aimed at mapping the cellular protein synthesis machinery in context and understanding complex host-microbiome interactions, respectively.
    
    EMBL ANNOUNCEMENTS      
  
    2023
    
    embl-announcementsscience    
   
         
        
  20 October  2023
   
  
  
    Here are six takeaways from a recent EMBO/EMBL symposium that brought together scientists to discuss the state of research involving the human microbiome and its connection to health and disease.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2023
    
    eventsscience-technology    
   
         
        
  5 September  2023
   
  
  
    Jordi van Gestel and Maria Zimmermann-Kogadeeva each receive 1.5 million EUR funding for research projects on microbial predators and the gut microbiome respectively
    
    EMBL ANNOUNCEMENTSLAB MATTERS      
  
    2023
    
    embl-announcementslab-matters    
   
         
        
  14 August  2023
   
  
  
    EMBL-EBI Senior Scientist Rob Finn explains why data coordination and sharing are fundamental for a sustainable blue economy.
    
    PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES      
  
    2023
    
    people-perspectivesperspectivesscience    
   
         
        
  27 June  2023
   
  
  
    HoloFood, the first consistent collection of multiomic data about chicken and salmon gut microbiomes, set to enable the development of better animal feeds.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2023
    
    sciencescience-technologytechnology-and-innovation    
   
         
        
  19 April  2023
   
  
  
    As a postdoc Alex Almeida used bioinformatics to push the boundaries of what we know about the gut microbiome. Here, Almeida explains how his time at EMBL-EBI generated new research avenues, and how the skills and connections from his postdoc prepared him for leading his own research group at the…
    
    PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES      
  
    2023
    
    people-perspectivesperspectives    
   
         
        
  8 March  2023
   
  
  
    EMBL is leading the TREC project: the first pan-European and cross-disciplinary effort to examine life in its natural context.
    
    EMBL ANNOUNCEMENTSLAB MATTERS      
  
    2023
    
    embl-announcementslab-matters    
   
         
        
  6 February  2023
   
  
  
    Funding awarded for developing tools to harness marine microbiome data for biotechnological applications and ecosystem services.
    
          
  
    2023
    
    announcementsscience    
   
         
        
  11 January  2023
   
  
  
    Rob Finn, one of the co-chairs of the Microbial Ecosystems theme, discusses his work, the challenges of multidisciplinary research, and how the theme is already helping to promote the exchange of scientific ideas.
    
    LAB MATTERSPEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES      
  
    2023
    
    lab-matterspeople-perspectives    
   
         
        
  11 October  2022
   
  
  
    The final pilot project in Iceland marked the countdown to the ‘Traversing European Coastlines’ (TREC) expedition to study coastal ecosystems and their response to changes in the environment.
    
    LAB MATTERSSCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2022
    
    lab-mattersscience-technology    
   
         
        
  15 September  2022
   
  
  
    EMBL researchers used data from over 300 human faecal microbiota transplants to gain an ecological understanding of what happens when two gut microbiomes clash.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2022
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  14 July  2022
   
  
  
    Microbial communities play essential roles in ocean ecology and planetary health. A recent publication highlights priorities for understanding and protecting ocean microbiomes.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2022
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  9 March  2022
   
  
  
    A molecular signature of 27 microorganisms in stool defines the high-risk population for the most common pancreatic cancer and could be used for early detection of the disease.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2022
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  4 January  2022
   
  
  
    Researchers have identified hundreds of new bacterial species and viruses in the human skin microbiome.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2022
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  20 December  2021
   
  
  
    The agreement focuses on reinforcing the collaboration between scientists to strengthen our understanding of the organism in its environment.
    
    CONNECTIONSLAB MATTERS      
  
    2021
    
    connectionslab-matters    
   
         
        
  15 December  2021
   
  
  
    Bork Group at EMBL Heidelberg analysed a new global gene database to study how genes emerge and spread across various habitats on our planet. In the future, the group will expand the database and use it for studying microbial gene evolution and dispersal at a finer-grained scale.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2021
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  8 December  2021
   
  
  
    Researchers studying a massive cohort of European patients have found that commonly prescribed drugs for cardiometabolic disorders can have long-term effects on the gut microbiome. Such effects can complicate the understanding of how disease affects the microbiome and must be taken into…
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2021
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  25 November  2021
   
  
  
    Maria Zimmermann-Kogadeeva is one of EMBL’s newest group leaders and a computational biologist whose research group applies computational modelling to better understand the metabolism of gut bacteria and their potential to have far-reaching impacts on other organs.
    
    LAB MATTERSPEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES      
  
    2021
    
    lab-matterspeople-perspectives    
   
         
        
  26 October  2021
   
  
  
    International project uses biomolecular data to improve animal feed and make meat production more sustainable
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2021
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  26 October  2021
   
  
  
    Using metagenomic data to find novel enzymes for plastic degradation and beyond
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2021
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  13 October  2021
   
  
  
    Researchers from EMBL’s Typas group and collaborators have analysed the effects of 144 antibiotics on the wellbeing of gut microbes. The study improves our understanding of antibiotics’ side effects and suggests a new approach to mitigating the adverse effects of antibiotics therapy on gut…
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2021
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  29 September  2021
   
  
  
    In the lab, Diënty Hazenbrink works with microbes that live in our guts. In her free time, she enjoys wildlife photography. A shared set of skills facilitates both activities.
    
    LAB MATTERSPEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES      
  
    2021
    
    lab-matterspeople-perspectives    
   
         
        
  22 September  2021
   
  
  
    EMBL and Helmholtz Association have signed a memorandum of understanding. The expanded collaboration of both institutions will focus on research related to health.
    
    CONNECTIONSLAB MATTERS      
  
    2021
    
    connectionslab-matters    
   
         
        
  8 September  2021
   
  
  
    A new collaborative study led by EMBL group leaders Kiran Patil, Nassos Typas, and Peer Bork has found that common medications accumulate in human gut bacteria. This process reduces drug effectiveness and affects the metabolism of common gut microbes, thereby altering the gut microbiome.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2021
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  16 June  2021
   
  
  
    Researchers investigate how external factors can influence the persistence of microbe species in the human gut
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2021
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  20 May  2021
   
  
  
    The Gesellschaft für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie has awarded a FEBS Anniversary Prize to Michael Zimmermann for his gut microbiome research.
    
    EMBL ANNOUNCEMENTSLAB MATTERS      
  
    2021
    
    embl-announcementslab-matters    
   
         
        
  19 January  2021
   
  
  
    Freshwater sports can cause waterborne infections, but real-time DNA sequencing could help.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2021
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  4 January  2021
   
  
  
    Researchers discovered the dominant species of bacteria in kefir grains cannot endure without other species that help the 'team' survive.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2021
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  23 November  2020
   
  
  
    Microbiomes, plastics, and connectivity – AtlantECO aims to understand the fabric of the Atlantic Ocean.
    
    CONNECTIONS      
  
         
        
  28 July  2020
   
  
  
    Bacterial cells are embedded in microfluidic droplets in oil. The fluorescence indicates the presence of the targeted DNA strain with the help of a characteristic DNA sequence.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2020
    
    picture-of-the-weekscience-technology    
   
         
        
  20 July  2020
   
  
  
    An international team of scientists has collated all known bacterial genomes from the human gut microbiome into a single large database. Their work will allow researchers to explore the links between bacterial genes and proteins, and their effects on human health.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2020
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  13 July  2020
   
  
  
    The European Learning Laboratory for the Life Sciences (ELLS), EMBL’s education facility, invites secondary school science teachers to participate in a virtual training course this autumn entitled ‘Introducing your microbiome’.
    
    LAB MATTERS      
  
         
        
  8 November  2019
   
  
  
    On microbiomes, public engagement and not being boring
    
    PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES      
  
    2019
    
    eventspeople-perspectives    
   
         
        
  22 July  2019
   
  
  
    Michael Zimmermann's group will investigate how gut microbes affect the body’s response to drugs.
    
    PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES      
  
    2019
    
    people-perspectivesscience    
   
         
        
  1 April  2019
   
  
  
    Colorectal cancer characterised by consistent changes in gut bacteria across continents, cultures and diets
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2019
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  26 February  2019
   
  
  
    Many microbes traverse the oral-gut barrier
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2019
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  11 February  2019
   
  
  
    Researchers identify novel gut bacteria species and call for more data from beyond Europe and North America
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2019
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  4 February  2019
   
  
  
    A new database of bacteria in the human microbiome is the most comprehensive to date.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2019
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  22 November  2018
   
  
  
    Nina Kathe, Winner of the EU Contest for Young Scientists visits EMBL
    
    LAB MATTERS      
  
         
        
  1 August  2018
   
  
  
    First global survey of soil genomics reveals a war between fungi and bacteria
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2018
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  19 April  2018
   
  
  
    Dog and human gut microbiomes have more similar genes and responses to diet than previously thought
    
    PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES      
  
    2018
    
    people-perspectivesscience    
   
         
        
  19 March  2018
   
  
  
    One in four drugs with human targets inhibit the growth of bacteria in the human gut, and may promote antibiotic resistance, EMBL researchers report in Nature
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2018
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  19 March  2018
   
  
  
    EMBL scientists show how to grow a wide range of gut bacteria in the lab
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2018
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  27 June  2017
   
  
  
    Science and Society event answers controversial questions about gut microbes
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2017
    
    eventsscience-technology    
   
         
        
  26 August  2016
   
  
  
    Team leader investigates how the gut microbiome could relate to human diseases
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2016
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  22 May  2016
   
  
  
    What's a microbiome? How on Earth do they work?
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2016
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  28 April  2016
   
  
  
    Stool transplants: finding the right match important, EMBL study shows
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2016
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  24 August  2015
   
  
  
    Alumnus Luis Bejarano asked Spanish students to stick out their tongues to analyse their microbiome.
    
    PEOPLE & PERSPECTIVES      
  
    2015
    
    alumnipeople-perspectives    
   
         
        
  5 May  2015
   
  
  
    Cooperate or compete? Microbes show us that getting along is the better choice for communities.
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2015
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  20 April  2011
   
  
  
    In the future, when you walk into a doctor’s surgery or hospital, you could be asked not just about your allergies and blood group, but also about your gut type. Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, and collaborators in the international MetaHIT…
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2011
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  4 March  2010
    
  
    The thousands of bacteria, fungi and other microbes that live in our gut are essential contributors to our good health. They break down toxins, manufacture some vitamins and essential amino acids, and form a barrier against invaders. A study published today in Nature shows that, at 3.3 million,…
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2010
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  16 October  2008
    
  
    Today at a meeting organised by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, scientists from around the globe announced the formation of the International Human Microbiome Consortium (IHMC), an effort that will enable researchers to characterise the relationship of the…
    
    LAB MATTERS      
  
         
        
  14 March  2007
    
  
    Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis, severely impair the lives of more than four million people worldwide. The development of effective therapies against these diseases requires an understanding of their underlying molecular mechanisms. Researchers from…
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2007
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
        
  2 February  2007
    
  
    Microorganisms make up more than a third of the Earth’s biomass. They are found in water, on land and even in our bodies, recycling nutrients, influencing the planet’s climate or causing diseases. Still, we know surprisingly little about the smallest beings that colonise Earth. A new…
    
    SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY      
  
    2007
    
    sciencescience-technology    
   
         
          
        
        
            
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