The Science In this manuscript we study a key, but poorly understood determinant of microbial ecosystem structure: the number of different molecules available as substrates in the environment. How does a microbiome respond to a more diverse set of available food sources? How does a marine microbiome respond to diverse pollutants? These are very difficult questions that will require years of biomedical and field research. What is stunning, however, is that we lack an even basic understanding … [Read more...]

Plant root systems typically contain diverse microorganisms. Researchers have observed a rare exception to this rule, in which the root microbiome is dominated by a single bacterial genus. Image of Sorghum field courtesy of Dr. Dawn Chiniquy Sorghum bicolor, also known as sorghum, is an important bioenergy crop in the United States and staple in other parts of the world. Sorghum is often planted on poor agricultural land and arid climates due to its ability to grow with minimal … [Read more...]

N. Louise Glass (Principal Investigator within m-CAFEs, senior faculty scientist in the Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, and professor in UC Berkeley’s Department of Plant & Microbial Biology), has been elected into the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).  The NAS is an international organization dedicated to providing technical and scientific advice to government bodies, and its existing members elect new scientists each year to the institution based on their … [Read more...]

m-CAFEs recently applied for and received status as a Scientific Focus Area. SFAs are research programs at DOE national laboratories that are “coherent, cohesive and sustainable programs that reflect coordination and collaboration among individual researchers and teams of investigators, at scientific and management levels across national laboratory divisions and among other institutions.” [1] The m-CAFEs team is excited to continue conducting research under this new designation. In addition … [Read more...]

LBL recently announced the arrival of EcoPODs, a set of new growth chambers partially funded by m-CAFEs that will enable complex, in-depth experiments.  EcoPODs are controlled environments that enable direct monitoring and manipulation of replicated plant-soil-microbe-atmosphere interactions over the complete plant life cycle. These “pilot-scale” ecosystems are designed to bridge the gap between small, lab-scale experiments that are not large enough to mimic the environment, and … [Read more...]