This study was led by my amazing PhD student @theeonflux.bsky.social and @chriku.bsky.social with great collaborators + support from @fwf-at.bsky.social and RESPImmun @medunigraz.at

Here you will find all details on the project and how to apply. Please apply only through this webpage (emails cannot be considered): www.medunigraz.at/en/doctoral-... (our project is listed on page 22 in "Projects")

Wow, congrats Simo!!! Well deserved!!!

So grateful. Let’s dive deeper into the archaeome!!

This is not a solo achievement. It’s the result of years of support, teamwork (cudos to the amazing MEL TEAM), and inspiring collaborations. Huge thanks to my incredible team, the @medunigraz.at environment, and all our partners.

Proud to share this collaborative effort—thank you to the entire team @, to @medunigraz.at, all our collaborators and their teams + @microbesplanet.bsky.social, and of course @fwf-at.bsky.social for financial support!

This work sheds light on the trophic control Archaea may exert over the cancer microbiome, urging us to rethink their role in health and disease.

🔍 Using metabolic modeling, co-culture assays, and metabolomics, we show that:
• M. smithii forms mutualistic interactions with CRC-associated bacteria like Fusobacterium nucleatum
• It enhances bacterial growth and metabolite production
• It produces tumor-modulating archaeal metabolites

In this study, amazing @roxymzh.bsky.social screened over 1,800 metagenomes from 19 clinical cohorts and found that Methanobrevibacter smithii—the dominant gut archaeon—is consistently enriched in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

Maybe next time! 😉 More archaea work coming up! 😃

Special thanks goes to the amazing SFB immunometabolism, which made this work possible, and of course the extraordinary, phantastic MEL team.

Supported by @microbesplanet.bsky.social
@medunigraz.at @fwf-at.bsky.social - Thank you!