Nicole Dubilier, Ph.D., Director and head of the Symbiosis Department at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, has led numerous reserach cruises and expeditions around the world studying the symbiotic relationships of bacteria and marine invertebrates. She discusses how the use of various methods, including deep-sea in situ tools, molecular, 'omic' and imaging analyses, have illuminated remarkable geographic, species and habitat diversity amongst symbionts and emphasizes the importance of discovery-driven research over hypothesis-driven methods.

Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC9vqE1visc

• In 1878, German surgeon, botanist and microbiologist, Heinrich Anton de Bary, first described symbiosis as the living together of two or more different organisms in close physical intimacy for a longer period of time.
• These relationships can be beneficial, detrimental or commensal, depending on the organisms involved.
• Microbial symbiosis research holds great potential to contribute to sustainable energy production and environmental health.

• Learn more about one of Dubilier's research vessels and see videos from the expidition.
• Functional diversity enables multiple symbiont strains to coexist in deep-sea mussels.
• Chemosynthetic symbioses: Primer.
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From Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Neil Mabbott, Ph.D., has worked for nearly 2 decades on understanding the mechanisms by which prion proteins become infectious and cause neurological disease in humans and animals. He discusses the remarkable properties of prions and addresses complexities surrounding symptoms, transmission and diagnosis of prion disease.

• The bioeconomy can be broadly defined as the use of renewable resources, including microorganisms, to produce valuable goods, products and services.
• Microbes have the potential to create products that cannot be made by existing synthetic chemistry routes.
• Using raw, renewable resources to create a circular bioeconomy is beneficial to the environmental footprint, economic footprint and supply chain security around the globe.

• The theme of our Spring 2024 Issue of Microcosm, our flagship member magazine is Microbes and the Bioeconomy: Greasing the Gears of Sustainability, launches this week and features an article based on this MTM conversation. If you are an ASM Member, check back on Wed., June 30 for the newly published content! Not a member? Consider renewing or signing up today, and begin exploring endless potential to boulster your career and network with professionals, like Donohue, in your field.
• Get Bioeconomy Policy Updates.
• Heading to ASM Microbe 2024? Check out this curated itinerary of sessions on the bioeconomy, including those discussing the use of algae for bioproduction and synthetic biology for natural product discovery.
• Learn more about the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center.
• MTM listener survey!