What if we told you there is a free-of-charge community dedicated to microbes and microbiome research? Interested?
Whether you work in research, policy, healthcare, or you’re just interested in microbiome-related topics, the Microbiome Community within the Sustainable Food Systems Network (SFSN) is just for you!
The SFSN is an online network of more than 2500 members from across the food system. The Microbiome Community brings together over 450 microbiome enthusiasts to exchange knowledge, share events and the latest news in microbiome research, explore job opportunities, receive monthly newsletters, discover project outcomes and much more.
The Microbiomes4Soy project is also part of this growing community and has already been featured through posts and newsletters on the platform.
What can you discover in the community?
Through regular campaigns such as “Microbiomes in Motion: an exploration across food systems,” the SFSN highlights the diverse roles microbiomes play in our food systems.
The campaign explored topics including:
The role of the soil microbiome
- Supports plant health by improving nutrient uptake, protecting against diseases, and helping plants withstand environmental stress.
- Improves soil fertility and reduces dependence on chemical fertilisers.
If we better understand the role of soil microbes, we can empower farmers to maintain healthy and productive soils.
Insights from a conversation with expert Tanja Kostic
A conversation with Tanja Kostic, Microbiomes4Soy partner from the Austrian Institute of Technology, explored how microbiomes contribute to oxygen production, carbon sequestration, soil fertility and food system resilience. The discussion also highlighted how microbiome-based innovations can help build more circular and sustainable food systems.
Key takeaways from the discussion:
- Marine microbiomes generate most of the oxygen we breathe and drive carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling in the oceans.
- Soil microbiomes fix nitrogen and methane, enhancing soil fertility while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
- Plant, animal, and human microbiomes are deeply linked to health, development, and resilience.
- Microbiomes can support sustainable food systems by enhancing crop and livestock health, minimising reliance on chemical inputs and closing nutrient and energy loops through waste upcycling and bioconversion
- Challenges still remain in the limited understanding of the complexity and functionality of the microbiomes, the adaptation of the regulatory landscape, and the development of smart, microbiome-fit application technologies.
The campaign “Innovations From Soil to Shelf: Microbiomes Across Agriculture and Circular Food Design” further explored microbiome innovations across different areas of microbiome sectors, encouraging exchange between fields that do not always intersect.
The community also highlighted the Microbes4SustainableFoods cluster, an initiative connecting seven EU-funded projects examining how microbiomes can enhance food sustainability, human health and environmental resilience.
Members of the SFSN Microbiome Community can also benefit from:
- Bi-weekly microbiome job updates.
- Community networking events.
- Involvement in celebrations such as World Microbiome Day.
- Updates from other projects like Microbiomes4Soy
How do you become a member?
Simply by filling in the registration form here: https://sustainable-food-systems-network.mobilize.io/registrations/groups/59970
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry! SFSN provides resources to help you navigate the network and make the most of your free membership.