CMET researchers study microbial communities & interactions to better understand and steer ecological processes with an ultimate aim of improving and enabling biotechnological applications.

The Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET) is a part of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University. CMET is specialized in the study and application of mixed microbial cultures or communities. A microbial community consists of several populations, which each represent a functional biological entity and thus a diverse metabolic capacity. The assemblage of these biological entities represents -when properly organized- a powerful resource. CMET researchers focus on the optimal management of these microbial resources. We define it as Microbial Resource Management (MRM), enabling us to develop novel products and (technological) processes to improve our environment or human health in the most sustainable way.

The CMET research group is part of the Department of Biotechnology and comprises about 85 academics, technical and administrative staff.
Image (23)
Conferences | News

BSM symposium 2025

Last Friday, ten members of CMET had the opportunity to attend the BSM symposium 2025, “amAIzing Microbiology”, in Brussels. The event featured a diverse range of talks, covering topics from general microbiology to applied and environmental microbiology, as well as host-microbe interactions. It was an excellent opportunity to expand our knowledge of the latest developments in […]

Methalgae
AMIE2 | News | Paper

Biogas can be more than just energy – methalgae turns yesterday’s leftovers into treasure

Biogas is a widely available but often underused resource. Can we do more with it than just burn it for energy? A recent study, led by Dr. Patricia Ruiz Ruiz, PhD student Patricia Mohedano Caballero, and Prof. Jo De Vrieze, explores how methalgae—a special mix of methane-eating bacteria and algae—can turn biogas into valuable biochemicals. […]