Microbiomes in plant, animal, and human health

Catalysed by advances in genomics technologies, the in-depth analysis of host microbiomes caused a revolution in human, animal and plant biology. Multicellular hosts benefit from their own microbiota, which play important life-supporting functions in host nutritional health, immunity, and stress resilience. Future Food Utrecht wishes to reinforce the research related to the role of microbiomes in host resilience at Utrecht University by bringing together scientists from different disciplines. We want to know how microbiomes (soil, plant, food, animal and human) can be used to achieve safer and more sustainable agriculture while also promoting host resilience and health.

Utrecht Microbiome Network

Microbiome research is accelerating research activities across Utrecht Science Park, due to great advances in affordable sequencing technologies. The microbiome is studied from different perspectives and in a multitude of hosts, and by a wide variety of Utrecht researchers. The Utrecht Microbiome Network aims to enhance the exchange of knowledge and technologies, stimulate transdisciplinary collaborations, and build sustainable bridges between groups and researchers. The network is the result of a series of Sandpit workshops (2021-2022) focusing on microbiome research, funded by Future Food Utrecht.

Holomicrobiome Initiative

The Holomicrobiome Initiative is supported by many knowledge organisations (including Utrecht University), companies, and NGOs. All participants and partners have a key interest in knowledge, research and innovation aimed towards microbiomes and see the importance of integrating efforts in all domains. The initiative aims to take a strategic lead in an area that will become bigger, more important and more profitable worldwide in the coming decades. It is seeking significant public investment from the Dutch government, which has provisionally set aside €200 million from its National Growth Fund.