MicrobiomeSupport: Harmonising Microbiome Research Methods & Funding Worldwide
Project supported by the Phytobiomes Alliance
Funded by
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
Duration
48 months
Dates
November 2018 - October 2022
Project Overview
Advances in the field of microbiome research are currently hampered by unaligned research methods used across laboratories worldwide leading to seemingly contradictory results and a duplication of funding on regional, national and international levels indicating an inefficient resource use. Further, with the large potential of microbiome research in the food system (for instance, for human health, sustainable management of natural resources, production and preparation of healthy and nutritious foods, reducing waste streams, etc.), it is important for the general public to be aware of the advantages and potential pitfalls of new techniques and methods. Hence, transparency and openness about the impact of advances in the research field are essential to ensure citizens’ acceptance of new methods and techniques used in the food system to the benefit of human and planetary health.
MicrobiomeSupport is well placed to tackle these challenges and provide the foundations necessary to bring about the required changes in microbiome research and funding for a microbiome-driven future-proof food system.
Objectives
MicrobiomeSupport is a Coordination and Support Action project and aims to:
- Harmonise the methods, approaches and standards used in microbiome research in different types of environment (soil, aquatic environments, animals, humans, etc.) and assess their economic and public health importance;
- Support international efforts to align research funding to avoid unnecessary duplication of research by engaging microbiome researchers, funding agencies policy makers and industry, specifically through coordinating the working group ‘Food Microbiomes’ of the International Bioeconomy Forum (IBF);
- Raise public awareness on the potential of microbiome application
Publications
- Microbiome innovations for a sustainable future.
D’Hondt, K., Kostic, T., McDowell, R. et al. Nat Microbiol 6, 138–142 (2021)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-020-00857-w - Towards a unified data infrastructure to support European and global microbiome research: a call to action
Ryan, M.J., Schloter, M., Berg, G., et al. Environ Microbiol 23,372-375 (2021)
https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.15323 - Development of microbiome biobanks – Challenges and Opportunities
Ryan M.J., Schloter, M., Berg, G. et al. Trends in Microbiology 29, 89-92 (2020)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2020.06.009 - Microbiome definition re-visited: old concepts and new challenges.
Berg, G., Rybakova, D., Fischer, D. et al. Microbiome 8, 103 (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-020-00875-0