Host-microbe interactions

In general, we are only beginning to understand how crucial microbes are for host health. Plants are inhabited by bacteria and fungi in all of their tissues, comprising a holobiont. We are interested in beneficial (mutualistic) interactions between plants and microbes, mainly in the plant shoots. We look at microbial symbiosis especially from the point of view on how symbionts infect and interact with their host, which kind of compounds are exchanged, and how the microbes benefit the host species. We look at specific patterns in these interactions for focusing out and applying to other fields, such as health and protection of the environment.