Plant roots are colonized by vast amounts of microorganisms, of which many facilitate plant growth. The Goormachtig lab investigates the intricate interactions between plants and rhizosphere microbiota, with a primary emphasis on the phenotypic and molecular alterations induced by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), particularly focusing on Streptomyces species and the staple crops maize and wheat.
Colleagues of VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology and VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, have joined the Nature Awards Science in Shorts competition. Check out how the explain their research in a one-minute-video.
In March 2021, VIB, together with then Minister of Innovation and Agriculture Hilde Crevits, launched an appeal to the Flemish people to grow soy in their own gardens. That call was part of a project by VIB, together with partners Ghent University, KU Leuven and ILVO, to find bacteria that occur naturally in Flemish soils and that work well with soy plants in our regions. Participants were asked to sacrifice one square meter of their garden to plant soy. With success, as the project managed to get more than 1,000 participants (including farmers) to participate, which together allowed VIB and ILVO to identify bacteria that are necessary for quality soybean cultivation.
Chris Marine (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology) and Sofie Goormachtig (VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology) participated in Studiotopia, an art and science collaboration with artists from Bozar and Gluon. This resulted in the exhibition 'Colliding Epistemes.'The exhibition opens with a free Art & Science talk.
