Balance of the Microverse
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microverse.bsky.social
Balance of the Microverse
@microverse.bsky.social
Understanding principles and dynamics of #microbialbalance
#ClusterOfExcellence @uni-jena.de
Funded by @dfgpublic.bsky.social
Today is @unesco.org’s World Science Day for Peace & Development. At the Microverse Cluster we believe the science of 2050 needs curiosity, openness, and trust. Some of our PIs share what future-ready science means to them.
➡️ www.unesco.org/en/days/scie...
November 10, 2025 at 10:23 AM
A great turnout for our latest Microverse Seminar! 🍕🔬

@ameliabarberphd.bsky.social, Junior Group Leader #FungalInformatics, shared fascinating insights in her talk “From Ecology to Genomes: Unraveling Fungal Pathogenicity Across Scales.”

Lively discussions and great connections followed!
October 29, 2025 at 8:02 AM
🧬 EMERGENCY SWITCH! 🤯 Bacteria adapt their metabolism to famine in seconds.
@uni-jena.de researchers found that 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘴 use two RNA molecules as molecular switches. An 'RNA sponge' kicks in to ensure survival.
October 28, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Building inclusive microbial communities 🌍
@adjiep.bsky.social (@kuesellab.bsky.social, @uni-jena.de & Sullivan Lab) shares how mentorship & representation can shape a more inclusive future in microbial sciences.
🎤 Meet him at the #ISME Early Career Researchers event on 21 Oct: lnkd.in/dXeyvnZK
October 17, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Evi Stegmann from IMIT, @unituebingen.bsky.social, joined our #MicroverseSeminarSeries for an inspiring talk on natural product biosynthesis. She shared insights into the genes behind negamycin production & balhimycin biosynthetic machinery – sparking lively discussions! Thank you for visiting us!
October 9, 2025 at 11:42 AM
18 students from across Germany joined us at our #ClusterOfExcellence at @uni-jena.de for the #CampusThüringenTour! 💬 Talks, lab tours & hands-on microbiology — from Gram staining to magnetotactic bacteria from the Saale. 🔬🌱🧫 #ScienceEducation #Microbiology
October 7, 2025 at 12:46 PM
🌍 Today is the #InternationalMicroorganismsDay!
On this occasion, we are naming the Microverse #MicrobeoftheYear 2025: Candida albicans.

Carried by up to 95% of people, it usually lives harmlessly in our bodies – but can also cause infections.
www.microverse-cluster.de/en/news/micr...
September 17, 2025 at 10:43 AM
At this week’s #JEMS, Michael Zimmermann (@zimmermannlab.bsky.social & @embl.org) shared insights on how gut microbiota shape #drugmetabolism and carcinogen toxicity. Fascinating findings on cancer risk, #drugresponse variability, and limits of current models. Thanks for the inspiring talk!
September 10, 2025 at 11:57 AM
🚴‍♀️ On Sept 12, the Sepsis Awareness Tour 2025 stops in Jena! Led by the Center for Sepsis Control & Care (CSCC), experts share how early detection saves lives. Join us at Teichgraben, 2 p.m. #WorldSepsisDay #SepsisAwareness #Jena
September 8, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Happy Birthday, Goethe! 🌿
Though he never saw microbes under a microscope, his holistic view of nature still inspires us today. At the #Microverse, we explore how microbial worlds shape life’s balance – just as Goethe imagined nature as one interconnected whole.
Illustration: AI-generated
August 28, 2025 at 6:30 AM
🌊 In June 2025, Prof. Christian Jogler and his team dove into Corsica’s seagrass meadows to explore unseen microbial worlds. Samples collected by scientists & divers are now cultivated at @uni-jena.de — tiny discoveries that may unlock novel bacteria and future natural products.
August 19, 2025 at 2:29 PM
🌟 The @jsmc-info.bsky.social Summer School 2025 ended with an inspiring celebration at the Planetarium Jena! 2 weeks, 13 nations, microbial research & new friendships. Thanks to all participants, organizers & awardees who made this journey unforgettable! 🌍✨ #JSMC #ScienceCommunity
August 16, 2025 at 9:02 AM
“What is feeding surface life?” 🌍 and “Are the microbes all alive?” 🦠 — Kirsten Küsel (@kuesellab.bsky.social & @uni-jena.de) sparked deep curiosity at the #MicrobialDiversity Symposium at @mblscience.bsky.social. A powerful talk on unseen life in groundwater & its global impact. #MBL2025
July 23, 2025 at 2:25 PM
🎉 Roos Brouns (@bedutilh.bsky.social's #VEO-Group & @uni-jena.de) & Vikrant Minhas (mentee @kuesellab.bsky.social) won the ISME poster award at the AEM Gordon Conference! A great example of cross-institutional #excellence in microbial ecology. 👏 #Microbiology #ISME #AEMGordon #EarlyCareerResearchers
July 23, 2025 at 8:03 AM
🌟 Celebrating community at the Microverse Get-Together! Big thanks to Kirsten Küsel (@kuesellab.bsky.social) & @mlakemeyer.bsky.social for inspiring us. Proud of our amazing team spirit! Looking forward to more great moments together 🚀 #MicroverseCommunity #ThankYou
July 16, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Huge thanks to Dr. Andreas Strecker (@dfg.de) for visiting @uni-jena.de. His talk & 1:1 sessions offered valuable guidance on career paths & funding for early career researchers. Supporting young scientists is close to our heart! 🌱🧬
June 18, 2025 at 12:22 PM
What an evening! ✨ Yesterday’s announcement brought cheers, hugs & happy tears. Cluster members, Uni leadership & friends celebrated together – united by passion and purpose. Thank you for this unforgettable moment! 💙 #Microverse #ExcellenceStrategy #TeamScience
May 23, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Big congrats to our Junior Group Research Leader Dr. @ameliabarberphd.bsky.social

🎉 She’s been named a #CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar for her work on fungal pathogens. 👉 Read the full story here: www.microverse-cluster.de/en/news/amel... #CIFAR #GlobalScience
May 23, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Team Microverse in Motion crushed the Jena Company Run! 🏃‍♂️💨
Fastest man: Hans-Dieter Arndt
Fastest woman: @ameliabarberphd.bsky.social

Microbes aren’t the only ones moving fast! 🦠💪
May 22, 2025 at 11:12 AM
On #IDAHOBIT, we reaffirm our commitment to an open and inclusive research culture. Respect, diversity and equal opportunity are essential to scientific collaboration and excellence.
#InclusionMatters #DiversityInScience
May 17, 2025 at 7:21 AM
At yesterday’s #MicroverseSeminar at @leibniz-hki.de , Prof. Sebastian Leptihn shared insights on 🦠 “Phage Therapy: An Evolutionary Tug-of-War with Bacterial Pathogens” — exploring phage resistance, antibiotic synergy, and more. Thanks to all who joined this brilliant session!
May 7, 2025 at 8:12 AM
🌊 World Water Day 2025: Glacier Preservation ❄️
#WorldWaterDay highlights global water challenges. This year: glaciers – vital freshwater sources under threat. Microbes shape aquatic ecosystems. We support this day to raise awareness! #GlacierPreservation
March 22, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Prof. Rotem Sorek gave a fascinating #JEMS talk @uni-jena.de on bacterial immune systems! 🦠🛡️ He explored the diverse and sophisticated defense systems of bacteria—and how studying these mechanisms can unlock new insights for human health. A reminder that microbes still have a lot to teach us!
March 11, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Celebrating International Women's Day! 🎉🔬
On #IWD2025, we honor pioneers who shaped #microbiology & life sciences. From antibiotics to DNA, their work revolutionized medicine & research. Discover 5 women whose impact still inspires @BalanceMicroverse. #WomenInScience #Microbiology
March 8, 2025 at 7:25 AM
At our Cluster we are proud to foster diversity in science. Today, on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we highlight Rosalind Allen, Ute Hellmich, Amelia Barber & Kirsten Küsel, who share what drives their research.

Their passion, curiosity & dedication inspire us every day! 💡
February 11, 2025 at 8:48 AM