Our ongoing projects
Our research projects burst into the microbiome field with a combinatorial multidisciplinary approach. Research requires passion and commitment (believe us, we have it a lot!). The support of our precious stakeholders and funders makes it possible.
See below the work we are carrying out.
The inseparable duo.
How can humans be separated from the built environment and the built environment from humans? It is not possible. That is why we decided to investigate both the skin microbiome and the built environment microbiome as mutually shaping matters. In fact, we think that it is insufficient studying the human Skin Microbiome (SKIOME project) without considering its surrounding environment, nor to investigate the Microbiome of the Built Environment (MoBE project) without its inhabitants.
From drinking water to humans, we did and are investigating the microorganisms of the built environments.
In its long journey to the tap, water is costantly dwelt with microorganisms and, from the very beginning, we faced the public rooted reluctance about their potential beneficial effects. Transmuting this aversion against the intrinsic microbial presence on and around us in its acceptance is still our mission. Our ongoing research is focused on the study of the microbial communities associated with human skin (SKIOME) and built environments (MoBE), aware of their inseparable nature. In the near future, we are going to explore the inhabited inhabitants of university campuses and hospitals.
This research is supported by MUSA - Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action
The UniBiome Project
This ongoing project explores the University Microbiome from the students’ perspective. Students’ skin and gut microbiomes have been sampled, together with the environmental microbiomes of classrooms, canteens and bathrooms.
Check out the lastest updates on the Instagram page of the project:
Bicocca Sampling Day 2023
This big Student-Science project involved a big sampling effort directly made by students. They indeed sampled the outdoors areas of the University Milano-Bicocca: surfaces, soil and water. We have planned 4 editions (June, September, December 2023, and March 2024).
Programming tools.
We are the proud parents of two bioinformatics tools and soon of a third one. As biology-derived bioinformaticians, we circumvent the limitations of the data analysis workflow we meet with open-source biologist-friendly tools.
Discover our tools:
Traceability: microbiome research application.
Scanning a specific target region of the DNA, namely barcode, allows accurate taxa identification. We apply this technique to hosts and to their associated microorganisms for traceability, quality, and safety of edible goods but also biomonitoring organisms by eDNA analysis.
Take a look at our works on insect-based novel food, the Mediterranean monk seal, the Eurasian otter, and grape. In addition, we are currently working on giant red shrimp funded by SeaTraceOmics grant.
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