CMET

Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology

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.

Research domains

CMET focuses on areas like disease prevention, applied microbial ecology, host-microbe interactions, life support in space, microbial electrocatalysis, resource recovery, and water treatment.

Microbial
Community Engineering

We study and manage complex microbial communities and microbial interactions such as cell-cell communication, horizontal gene transfer and biofilm formation.

Prof. Nico Boon
Prof. Kankana Kundu

Host-Microbe
Interaction

We obtain a mechanistic understanding of the host-microbiome interaction and shape future preventive and therapeutic strategies to support human health.

Prof. Tom Van de Wiele

Bioprocess
Engineering

We focus on microbial and physicochemical waste treatment technologies that enable recovery of water, nutrients and carbon from human waste and crop residues.

Prof. Ramon Ganigué

Architecture of
Microbial Ecology

We focus on understanding the nature of the interaction between the microorganisms and the electrodes as well as on innovative process and technology development.

Prof. Jo De Vrieze

Bacterial
Activity Management

We investigate novel strategies to control bacterial infections by unravelling bacterial disease mechanisms and develop strategies to interfere with these mechanisms.

Prof. Tom Defoirdt

Water
Treatment & Production

We apply biotechnological processes for wastewater treatment and reuse, and study the microbial community in drinking water production and distribution systems.

Prof. Bart De Gusseme
Bramsept f230921125745
MiCE | News | Paper

The gut community of copepods: you are what you eat

Copepods are small crustaceans of about 1 millimeter in size. Although small, they are abundant and omnipresent: in freshwater, salt water and ground water. Different groups of copepods are specialised to live in open ocean, rock pools or sediments. They are the connection in the food web between primary production and larger consumers such as […]

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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 […]

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