Life is symbiosis – this is becoming increasingly clear. Whether bacteria, plant, animal or human, all organisms are colonised by microbes. Within these organisms, microbes form fascinating, mutually beneficial communities. An example is coral, which house microalgae that live within their tissue and give the coral reefs their bright colours. Scientists are increasingly recognising that such symbioses are crucial to the function of ecosystems and evolution. However, the majority of these partnerships have barely been researched.
Jörn Piel and Roman Stocker are two scientists who study the secret relationships of marine microbes at ETH Zurich. Now they will each receive an “Investigator Award” from the renowned Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation amounting to USD 1.5 million. The prize, which is awarded as a grant, enables the two ETH professors to research aquatic symbioses involving microorganisms for five years.
From computer chips to research funding
Intel co-founder Gordon Moore and his wife Betty established the Californian foundation. Moore became internationally famous as the creator of Moore’s law on the development of computer chips. The couple established the foundation in 2000 with USD 5 billion in initial capital. Since then, they have supported projects in fundamental research, environmental protection and health.
With the “Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems” initiative, the foundation supports 15 individual research projects conducted by scientists from various universities worldwide. They have a common focus on marine and freshwater ecosystems, which are among the most biodiverse habitats on earth. The initiative aims to understand how symbiotic relationships work between bacteria, single-celled algae and aquatic organisms, and the ecological roles they play.
Bacteria factories in sponges
