The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced today a new National Microbiome Initiative to encourage scientists to work together to study microbes — and the collections of microbes called microbiomes — across disciplines. The goal is to get a better understanding of these little critters that live everywhere — from the soil we plant crops in, to the oceans we swim in, to our very own digestive systems.
And it's not just understanding them. Scientists want to know enough to be able to affect different outcomes by tinkering with microbiomes.
Need an example to make it more concrete? So did we. So ASU Now sat down with Ferran Garcia-Pichel, the founding director of ASU's Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics.
And we found understanding of the mysterious — and tiny, obviously — world of microbiomes in of all places, a block of cheese.
More Science and technology
Newly identified viruses found in dolphins
In a new study, researchers from Arizona State University together with national and international collaborators have identified anelloviruses in dolphins for the first time. Anelloviruses are a…
ASU Interplanetary Lab celebrates 5 years of success
Five years ago, an Arizona State University student came up with the idea of creating a special satellite in what was then the newly built Interplanetary Laboratory. The idea was to design…
ASU secures NSF grant to advance data science literacy as demand soars
In an era where data permeates every facet of our lives, the importance of data literacy cannot be overstated. Recognizing this critical need, Jennifer Broatch, a professor at Arizona State…