Vorholt Lab Research
The Vorholt laboratory explores molecular mechanisms of microbial interactions and metabolism through both biochemical and eco-evolutionary approaches. By developing and applying synthetic microbial communities using gnotobiotic plant systems, the lab has identified key factors that drive plant microbiome interactions, particularly within the phyllosphere. Research conducted in the lab has revealed critical components of plant immunity that are essential for maintaining microbiota homeostasis and microbial community assembly. The lab has discovered key enzymes involved in one-carbon conversion and has engineered synthetic methylotrophy using methanol, a renewable carbon source with great potential for producing carbon-neutral or carbon-negative value-added products. Furthermore, the team has pioneered single-cell approaches using fluidic force microscopy (FluidFM), enabling injection into and extraction from living cells, organelle transplantation, and bacteria implantation to investigate the emergence of endosymbioses.
ETH News articles about our research, grants and teaching activities:
- Endosymbiosis
- Bacteria for climate-neutral chemicals of the future
- Predicting interactions in plant microbiomes
- Monitoring gene activities in living cells
- A new dimension in transplantation
- Unlocking the microbiome
- ERC Advanced Grant
- New Biology Curriculum
- Establishing creative space
- NCCR Microbiomes
- Antibiotics
- Methylotrophy
- Single cell extraction
- Plant microbiota
- ERC Advanced Grant
- Arsen bacterium
- Micro-suction
- Leaves