Limits to the evolution of metabolic dependency in spatially structured microbial communities In microbial communities, evolutionary processes can lead to loss of biosynthetic pathways, creating metabolic dependencies. The Black Queen Hypothesi…

Excited to share our new paper led by Divvya Ramesh: Limits to the evolution of metabolic dependency in spatially structured microbial communities 🧫
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

We are incredibly grateful to have spent three inspiring days in beautiful Blonay at our annual group retreat, discussing science and continuing our group tradition of forming human pyramids! 🤸

Excited to share our new work! We found that bacteria can turn antagonism into a foraging strategy - by killing their neighbours, and eating their remains 🧫🔬💥

How does metabolic dependency evolve at the single cell level? 🔄

In our new preprint, Divvya Ramesh combines microfluidics, microscopy and modelling to show that the benefits of gene loss are highly context dependent.

Check it out here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Olga Schubert from @eawag.bsky.social / @ethzurich.bsky.social on Causes and consequences of collective metabolism in microbial communities
#KNVM2025

Check out our new perspective on spatial patterns in microbial communities, the product of an exciting collaboration led by Alyssa Henderson and @adelpanta.bsky.social ! 🧫

We are so thrilled that Martin and Olga have won the Art of Leadership (ALEA) award - for being incredible group leaders who give us independence, support, trust, and ultimately prioritise our wellbeing above all else. We are so grateful to be co-led by them!

A framework for understanding collective microbiome metabolism - Nature Microbiology This Perspective explores why microbiome members perform partial metabolism of substrates and suggests that proteome efficiency is a driver of collective microbiome metabolism.

Thrilled to announce that Matthias Hülsmann's new perspective is now out in @naturemicrobiol.bsky.social! This exciting work is shaping how our group thinks about collective microbiome metabolism. Check it out! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Check out this new preprint on antagonism as a foraging strategy, led by the brilliant Astrid Stubbusch and @nonresidentdesi.bsky.social!

How can concepts from ecology enable insights about cellular communities? Historically, microbiology has been markedly concerned with pathogens and their modes of action. Upon Koch’s revolutionary finding that microorganisms can be causal of disease, understandably, there w...

Grateful for the opportunity to share my enthusiasm and thoughts on microbial ecology and bacterial communities in Cell Systems! What an exciting time to contribute to this fascinating field and to adress the „macro in the micro“. www.cell.com/cell-systems...

Check out our new paper, led by Astrid Stubbusch and @nonresidentdesi.bsky.social on bacterial degradation-dispersal cycles, out in @elife.bsky.social!