Democratizing microbial discovery for a better tomorrow through high-impact, interdisciplinary projects.
We live in the greatest age of discovery.
Ever.
We live in a world with over a trillion species of microbes. By harnessing the power of these microbes we have discovered life-saving, life-changing, and life-improving technology
valued at well over 300 billion dollars. This includes tools such as PCR and CRISPR genome editing technology, therapeutics like antibiotics and cholesterol-lowering medications, and even the technology we use to make coffee, chocolate, and fuel. All are made possible from microbes.
An estimated 99% of the microbial species on earth remain unknown and with them, the solutions they could provide. The Microbe Institute is working to change this.
Welcome to the biological cosmos
The Microbe Institute is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to fostering microbial discovery for a better tomorrow through high-impact, innovative, and often participatory scientific research, art, and education initiatives
We achieve this by employing a unique model tested in Nature’s laboratory over hundreds of millions of years: symbiosis— partnerships between different creatures that lead to success that neither could accomplish alone.
We partner with academics, nonprofits, for-profits, and thinkers and doers across the world to co-create, accelerate, and amplify mission-aligned projects. We scale their impact, innovate, and create rapid change. All while creating direct benefits for our partner organizations, local communities, and world.
The Microbe Institute Model
We work with a growing database of values-aligned specialists from across the world. These include scientific researchers, educators, thought-leaders, artists, companies, and nonprofits. Together, we co-create, accelerate, and amplify the impact of select projects. These projects are interdisciplinary in nature—often incorporating art, education, and research components to reach more diverse audiences, scale broader impacts, and deliver rapid change. These projects are frequently participatory, with the goal of democratizing the process of exploration and increasing the accessibility of findings, materials, and teachings. These projects are unique and may result in peer-reviewed research findings, open-source books, art exhibits, lesson plans, or innovative commercial products. But ultimately, our projects serve our five broader mission areas: The Environment, Biodiversity Conservation, Student Learning, Public Engagement, and Bioeconomy Support. Through this model, we are fostering microbial discovery for a better tomorrow.
Three Microbial Exploration Focus Areas.
Education. + Art. + Discovery.
Art has the power to provoke emotions, enchant dialogues, inspire new insights, and engage new audiences. It can make the abstract tangible and the incomprehensible sublime. Our diverse microbe art initiatives reveal that the microbial world offers the same mysteries as dinosaurs, the same expanse of space, and the unparalleled possibility of unexplored worlds. We believe in the power of art to transform conventional science discourse and understanding.
Microbes + Create Projects
Art
We create research initiatives to democratize microbial discovery, uncover unknown species, and conserve them for future generations. We help people around the world join in the process of scientific research. From those microbial discoveries, we can understand new truths about our world while creating new applications that make the world a safer, more sustainable, more enjoyable and more equitable place. We believe everyone should have access to this adventure and this future.
Microbes + Discover Projects
Discovery
We dedicate ourselves to ethically educating audiences to reveal that the microbial world is not one to fear, but one that offers hope for a better future. Our education initiatives use evidence-based science communication and education practices to excite audiences, create curiosity-provoking tools, and ensure effective storytelling practices. By increasing scientific literacy we seek to empower communities and ultimately develop the broader bioeconomy.
Microbes + Learn Projects
Education
“The last 100 years have featured human solutions to microbial problems, but the next 100 years will feature microbial solutions to human problems.”
— Anne A. Madden, Ph.D. (Founder) TED 2017
Projects Featured By
Projects Presented At
Our Partners, Collaborators, & In-Kind Supporters
(Project Dependent)
National Geographic Society
Join us in the adventure.
We want to partner with you if you are a dreamer, a business person, a leader, a team-member, a scientist, an amateur, an explorer, an idealist, a big thinker, a details-person, an organization, an individual, an academic lab, a mom, someone who has a mom, someone who wears mom-jeans, a musician, a friend, a kind person, an introvert, an activator, a connector, an extrovert, an engineer, a creative, a hacker, a philanthropist, a student, a life-long learner, most-likely-not-a-robot, ok, we’ll probably work with select robots.
If you want to be a part of this adventure, but are not sure what that could look like, reach out and join our listserv.