Architecture of Microbial Ecology

The Architecture of Microbial Ecology and Engineering (AMiE²) research team, led by principal investigator (PI) Prof. Jo De Vrieze, focuses on microbial processes for engineered ecosystems in which organic waste valorisation, through the development of novel tools and technologies, is targeted. The research at AMiE² is focused around four pillars. The first pillar focuses on the process of anaerobic digestion for the conversion of novel and emerging organic waste streams, considering both methanogenesis and sulphate reduction, into biogas as a renewable alternative to natural gas. The second pillar concerns the valorisation of biogas and biomethane into novel, high-value products, making use of consortia of methane oxidizing bacteria. In the third pillar, in-depth understanding of the 3D organization of microbial entities and their interaction is targeted. The fourth pillar aims towards applying engineered microbial processes in the Global South context. The AMiE² research time currently hosts three postdoctoral researchers and six PhD students.