Overview: Microbiology is an incredibly exciting, fast-moving subject, always in the news, always contributing new ways of improving our wellbeing and that of the planet and, occasionally, contributing to a crisis, like COVID-19. One reason for this excitement is the exceptional breadth of applications and potential applications microbes offer, which means that, as one type of application matures, a new one emerges. For this reason, while it is important to give you a flavour of the current New Frontiers of microbiology, choosing is difficult because there are many, and the field is highly dynamic, so new New Frontiers emerge constantly. The topics selected here – Human microbiomes, Astrobiology, and Electro- microbiology – are all super exciting and super important right now; but tomorrow, there will be new stars on the block. So consider these topics to be just a snapshot of some current discovery-rich themes of the wonderful tapestry of evolving exciting topics microbiology has to offer. Let’s share the excitement of the New Frontiers!
Creation of the TFs is a work in progress: those already available are indicated by titles that are live links. Titles of those still in the pipeline are shown for context.
Human microbiomes: exploring our microbial partners and how they affect us
- Where does my microbiome come from?
- Dirt is good for you!
- Our microbiomes: what can we do for them?
- Food and health
- Medicines, our gut microbiota and us
- The reproductive tract microbiome and health
- The bacteriophage:microbiome:health nexus
- Microbiome as barrier for infections
Astrobiology: microbes in space
- Microbes define the biosphere
- How do we look for signs of life on other planets?
- Microbes and space exploration
- The astronaut microbiome
Electro-microbiology: bioelectrical systems and their applications
- The microbial electric grid of low oxygen environments
- Electric microbes and element cycling
- Electric microbes and metal corrosion: the corrosion microbiome
- Drinking water from the sea: microbial desalination cells
- Electro-microbiology and the production of chemicals
- Electro-microbiology for bioremediation
- Electroactive members of our microbiome