How can we tap into the enormous functional diversity of microbes on this planet?

Join us at EMBL Heidelberg (8–10 Dec 2026) to learn about ongoing efforts to decode gene function and organisation in human gut microbes, and present your science.

📅 Save the Date – CMFI Conference 2027
Feb 17–19, 2027

📍 Tuebingen, Germany

Confirmed speakers:
Benoit Chassaing · Eran Elinav · Neha Garg · Kiran Patil · Bertrand Routy · Nina van Sorge

Subscribe to stay updated and join us in Tuebingen:

www.cmfi.uni-tuebingen.de/en/cmfi2027

I’m absolutely delighted to receive this prestigious award. My sincere thanks to my lab members, mentors, colleagues, and collaborators for their continuous support.

To all microbiome enthusiasts: Don’t miss this conference highlight in December 2026!

Don’t miss this year’s Seeon Conference!
Registration is now open — secure your spot and join us for inspiring science and great discussions in Seeon.

Huge congratulations to our lab member Patrick Müller on successfully defending his PhD!

His thesis represents outstanding work, and his defense was truly impressive.

We’re incredibly proud to celebrate Patrick as a new Dr. rer. nat. and excited to see what he does next! 🚀

Research Fellow - Department of Microbes, Infection and Microbiomes - 105518 - Grade 7 The post holder will work within the newly established NIHR Health Protection Unit for Public Health Genomics, a partnership between the University of Birmingham and the UK Health Security Agency. You...

Love microbes & omics? 🦠🧬

We’re hiring a Postdoc in Public Health Genomics at @unibirmingham.bsky.social

Work on cutting-edge research with wonderful people! @wvschaik.bsky.social @halllab.bsky.social @pathogenomenick.bsky.social @scalene.bsky.social @alanmcn1.bsky.social

📅 Closes 4th Feb

We’re hiring 2 Postdocs (f/m/d) in Drug–Microbiome–Host Interactions 🦠💊

Focus: how non-antibiotic drugs shape the gut microbiome, drug efficacy & side effects.

#PostdocJobs #Microbiome #AcademicJobs

Full job ad:
lisamaierlab.com/wp-content/u...

Really cool story from @lisamaierlab.bsky.social!
We are happy that @luuuprz.bsky.social (PhD student in our lab) contributed a small part.

New paper from the lab!
Led by Patrick Müller: we show that non-antibiotic compounds — but not macrolide antibiotics — can induce an efflux pump that protects Bacteroidaceae from macrolides.
A neat twist on drug–microbe interactions... www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

It’s not only medications—environmental chemicals can also inadvertently harm our gut microbes. Excited to have contributed a bit to this important study!

Proud to be part of this incredible multidisciplinary team uncovering why some people are NOT infected by Salmonella. This new Wellcome Trust @wellcometrust.bsky.social funding will allow us to uncover why some people naturally resist infection and colonisation by Salmonella Typhimurium.

Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering - BIIE (Zürich): Doctoral studentships, Molecular Mucosal Immunology Group Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering - BIIE has a job opening for Doctoral studentships, Molecular Mucosal Immunology Group in Zürich (published: 29.10.2025). Apply now or check the other available...

We are hiring! 🧫 🧬 🚀

Three PhD studentships with start dates in 2026 available in the Molecular Mucosal Immunology lab at the Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering, Basel, Switzerland.

See here for details (Deadline: 7th November 2025):

join.com/companies/im...

Thrilled to be part of this amazing team working to uncover how the human microbiome protects us from colonisation and infection by non-typhoidal Salmonella. Exciting science ahead!
#Microbiome #InfectionBiology #Salmonella #TeamScience

Thanks so much for the great discussions and warm welcome! I had a wonderful time and was really impressed by the inspiring scientists, diverse projects, and fascinating techniques at the @cemess.bsky.social.

Research prizes for our lab: Anne has been awarded the DZIF Doctoral Award of the DGHM, and Lisa has received the DGHM Main Award. A wonderful recognition of the creativity, curiosity, and persistence of the entire team! www.dghm.org/dghm-preisve...

Bildschirmpräsentation mit der Vita von Prof. Dr. Lisa Maier, Mikrobiologin an der Uni Tübingen, zur Verleihung des Hauptpreises der DGHM in Jena.

Mikrobiologin Prof. Dr. Antje Flieger liest die Laudatio für Prof. Dr. Lisa Maier zur Verleihung des Hauptpreises der DGHM in Jena. Preisträgerin Lisa Maier steht links neben ihr.

🏆 Fighting the Gender Award Gap: Microbiologist Prof Dr Lisa Maier from @unituebingen.bsky.social received the main award of the German Association for #Microbiology and Hygiene at the #DGHM meeting in Jena. Congratulations to @lisamaierlab.bsky.social we are proud of you! 💜
📸 Gabriele Pradel

Unexpected side-effect: how common medications clear the way for pathogens

CMFI's @lisamaierlab.bsky.social @unituebingen.bsky.social show in @nature.com: many non-antibiotics weaken the natural protective function of the intestine.

Press release: www.cmfi.uni-tuebingen.de/en/news-even...

Non-antibiotics disrupt colonization resistance against enteropathogens - Nature Non-antibiotic drugs from a wide range of therapeutic classes can alter the ability of gut commensals to resist invasion by enteropathogens, a previously underappreciated side effect of such drugs.

Seeing this published is even better than eating sweets! I am so happy and proud of whole @lisamaierlab.bsky.social, especially Lisa and @jdlcz.bsky.social who walked the funny/exciting/rocky road with me until the very end. Check it out!
#science #microbiome #health

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Another fantastic study from @lisamaierlab.bsky.social showing how non-antibiotics impact gut ecosytem. Congratulations @ghammeranne.bsky.social et al.!

It's finally out!🎉

We known that the #microbiome confers colonization resistance against #pathogens, we know that some meds 💊 affect gut microbes 🦠

So, do 💊 alter colonization resistance? It turns out that some do! If you wanna know more, check out our latest work www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The paper is definitely worth a read—and if you're curious for a glimpse behind the scenes of how the story developed, don’t miss this short blog post by Anne and Jacobo.
communities.springernature.com/posts/silent...

A tremendous team effort that spanned several years, led by two outstanding scientists in our lab: Anne Grießhammer (@ghammeranne.bsky.social) and Jacobo de la Cuesta-Zuluaga (@jdlcz.bsky.social). Huge thanks to everyone who contributed, to @cmfi.bsky.social, & to our superb collaboration partners.

Non-antibiotics disrupt colonization resistance against enteropathogens Nature - Non-antibiotic drugs from a wide range of therapeutic classes can alter the ability of gut commensals to resist invasion by enteropathogens, a previously underappreciated side effect of...

Finally online!
Our latest research is out @nature.com: We show that non-antibiotic drugs can disrupt colonization resistance, raising the risk of enteric infections.
rdcu.be/ewwrG

Human gut bacteria bioaccumulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances - Nature Microbiology Human gut bacteria bioaccumulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as forever chemicals, in intracellular aggregates. Colonization of gnotobiotic mice with bioaccumulating bac...

Gut bacteria to the rescue! 🦠✨
They can shield us from harmful chemicals—and the latest study from Kiran Patil's lab (@kiranrpatil.bsky.social)
uncovers how. We’re proud to have contributed to this exciting work!
#Microbiome #Detox
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Latest study from the lab is online today (and another will be out tomorrow, stay tuned:)). We profiled effect of >1700 chemicals (drugs, pesticides,...) on secretion of amines (involved in gut-brain and gut-immune axis. ) by human gut bacteria. Brilliant work by @skamrad.bsky.social and Tara Davis

3D rendering of a bacterium with flagella cut open to show clumps of PFAS molecules inside along with the bacteria's own cellular machinery.

Researchers in the Patil Lab have discovered that certain species of gut bacteria can absorb PFAS. Boosting these species in our gut microbiome could be a new way to protect us from the harmful effects of PFAS.

Read more here: buff.ly/4FsVFsS

@kiranrpatil.bsky.social @indraroux.bsky.social

The pill that might be relieving your heartburn but killing your gut microbes Why drugs commonly used against heartburn harm your gut microbiome

Big thanks to scientific writer Libera Lo Presti for this great little piece on our recent work exploring how proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and pH affect human gut microbes.
Check it out here: go.nature.com/4lf6jNk

Proton-pump inhibitors increase C. difficile infection risk by altering pH rather than by affecting the gut microbiome based on a bioreactor model Clostridioides difficile infections often occur after antibiotic use, but they have also been linked to proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. The underlying mechanism – whether infection risk is due...

Ever wondered why proton pump inhibitors raise the risk of C. diff infections? Is it due to pH shifts or direct antibacterial effects on the gut microbiome? We think it’s the pH. 🧪💡 Dive into Julia & Patrick’s new paper for the full story! 📖👇 #Microbiome #PPI
doi.org/10.1080/1949...

What timing! 🎉 Lab member Julia’s first first-author paper got accepted just 8 minutes before her PhD defense started! Huge congrats on a successful PhD and an impressive defense! 🥳📚 #AcademicLife #PhDDefense #TimingIsEverything