Microbiological research at the University of Bonn

Microorganisms make up a significant proportion of cells, biomass and species on Earth and are characterized by impressive biological and biochemical diversity. This makes them survivalists that can be found in almost any environment on the planet - in the deep sea trench as well as high in the clouds. As a result, microbes play a key role in the biogeochemical cycles of all major elements (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, etc.) with direct links to global phenomena such as climate change. From a more local perspective, microbes and their biochemical diversity are also crucial, for example by determining nutrient cycles in soils or as gut flora by symbiotically influencing our own nutrient supply. The diverse biochemistry of microbes can be made industrially useful for humans through biotechnological processes, e.g. for sugar substitutes. However, as parasites and pathogens of infectious diseases, microbes are also a danger to humans, as became very clear during the COVID pandemic, for example, and is reflected by increasing health care issues due to growing antibiotic resistance.

The manifold relevance of microorganisms is reflected in the various microbiological research areas at the University of Bonn. Both in teaching within the framework of the Master's program in Microbiology as well as in fundamental and applied research, the broad field of microbiology is represented at a large number of institutes: