Home | Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology

New Center for Microbial Research

The "Microcosm Earth Center" addresses current issues of environmental and climate microbiology

Second research group starts at the Microcosm Earth Center

Dr. Julia Kurth`s Microbial Physiology group is especially interested in studying methane-forming archaea, microbes that can partly thrive in extreme environments.

A decisive pinch of sugar

Polysaccharides are sugar strands that bacteria produce to enable their survival and virulence. Now a research team led by Lotte Søgaard-Andersen has discovered a new export mechanism for polysaccharides in bacteria. This discovery paves the way to a more precise understanding of how bacteria cause disease, survive in their environment and can be used industrially.

Top award for Tobias Erb

The director and head of the department "Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism" receives the Future Insight Prize 2022 from the Merck company for his work on artificial photosynthesis

A wise counsel for synthetic biology

Machine learning is transforming many areas of science and industry. Now a research team at MPI-TM has developed a user-friendly workflow to optimize biological systems.

Welcome to the
Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology

The aim of our research is to understand the diversity and function of microorganisms. They are more numerous and diverse than all other living organisms – there is no place on earth they do not colonize. There are mainly three main reasons for their success: their immense metabolic capacities, a great ability to adapt to environmental changes, and a wide range of interactions with other organisms. Whether by their indispensable role in the global cycles of matter, the conversion of atmospheric greenhouse gases or their numerous interactions with humans, animals and plants - microorganisms decisively shape life on earth.

Like all of the over 80 Max Planck Institutes, we conduct basic research, true to Max Planck`s saying: "Insight must precede application." A fundamental understanding of processes and interrelationships is prerequisite for any medical or technological innovation. We use state-of-the-art technologies in combination with computer modeling and analysis as well as synthetic biology methods.