Home | Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology

Dr. Henrike Niederholtmeyer receives ERC Starting Grant

The Emmy-Noether-Research Group Leader receives 1.5 Mio. Euro for the development and investigation of synthetic compartments

Revealing Biochemical “Rings of Power”

Genome mining uncovers a widespread class of natural products that could be excellent candidates for future drugs

Two Heads, One Hat

A fruitful synergism of theory and experiment: combining Biology and Mathematics, researchers led by Dr. Seán Murray have uncovered a common principle of bacterial plasmid segregation.

Back to the future of Photosynthesis

The MPI-TM has undertaken a molecular journey through time: A team of researchers led by Georg Hochberg and Tobias Erb succeeded in bringing long-extinct enzymes back to life in the laboratory. The results, published in the latest issue of the journal Science, show how the central photosynthetic enzyme Rubisco was able to adapt to the presence of oxygen billions of years ago.

New Center for Microbial Research

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

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.