AIT experts Angela Sessitsch and Tanja Kostic (Center for Health & Bioresources) together with eight international partners, publish a recommendation on how the potential of microbiomes can be used on the way to a sustainable future. This shows how important international cooperation, knowledge exchange and the right framework conditions are.
Billions of microorganisms live around us and have a significant impact on our lives every day, yet they are of great importance for our health and play a vital role in the environment and food production. The community of all microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, archaea, unicellular eukaryotes, fungi) in a given habitat is called the "microbiome". "Our growing understanding of the interconnectedness of microbiomes in environmental and food systems suggests that microbiome innovations have the potential to improve the sustainable production of food, feed and biofuels while supporting the principles of the circular economy," explains Angela Sessitsch, Head of Competence Unit Bioresources at the Center for Health & Bioresources.
In order to advance research and innovation in this field, several powerful international consortia have been established in recent years, including the EU project "MicrobiomeSupport" led by Angela Sessitsch and the International Bioeconomy Forum (IBF). In a joint recommendation published in the renowned journal Nature Microbiology, ten experts from these consortia, together with the EU Commission, have now compiled the potentials of microbiome innovations and the prerequisites for their implementation.
In order to realise these potentials, however, some preliminary work still needs to be done. This is because, as AIT expert Tanja Kostic, one of the two lead authors of the study, explains, research in some areas is still at an early stage: "Microbiomes can provide a wealth of bioactive compounds and enable activities that benefit agriculture, the environment and animal and human health." Kostic further explains "The published recommendation includes the expansion of research, better international and interdisciplinary collaboration, creation of new infrastructures and long-term planning goals, as well as public trust and acceptance, and legal and ethical guidelines to responsibly introduce the innovations into production systems."
Progress is already being made in some of these areas: for example, the MicrobiomeSupport project is currently working with a wide range of global stakeholders to develop a shared strategic research and innovation agenda for microbiomes in food systems.
Press Release: https://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20210128_OTS0259/das-potenzial-der-mikrobiome-helfer-fuer-umwelt-und-gesundheit
Kathleen D'Hondt, Tanja Kostic et al: Microbiome innovations for a sustainable future. Nature Microbiology https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-020-00857-w
Links: www.microbiomesupport.eu / www.bioeconomy-forum.org
