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About

Complex microbial communities (known as microbiomes) inhabit virtually every part of our planet—from ocean depths to mountaintops, across vegetation surfaces, within agricultural soil, and both on and within all living creatures.

The Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences joins faculty, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students from across the University of Maryland in pursuit of a deeper understanding of complex microbial communities, and how those microbiomes interact with each other and with our ecosystem, impacting human health, animal health and environmental health. 

The center is a hub for research technology development, education, outreach, and partnerships that work together to implement and share evidence-based microbiome solutions and practices for a thriving healthier planet.

circle listing the following aspects around the center's logo: research and engineering, outreach, member resources, entrepreneurship/industry relations, and education and training,

Launched in February 2023 with startup funding from the University of Maryland Grand Challenges Grants Program, the center currently has faculty from the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, the School of Public Health, and the A. James Clark School of Engineering. The center receives administrative and technical support from the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies.

 

Center Leadership

Portrait of Birthe Kjellerup

Birthe Kjellerup

Professor
Environmental Microbiology
Portrait of Mihai Pop

Mihai Pop

MPower Professor
Computational Biology
Portrait of Stephanie Yarwood

Stephanie Yarwood

Professor
Soil Microbial Ecology
Portrait of Gabi Steinbach

Gabi Steinbach

Program Coordinator

Mission:

We combine scientific knowledge of complex microbial systems with emerging technologies and data innovation to promote actionable solutions that improve human health, agricultural prosperity, and environmental sustainability from local to global scales.

CEMS diagram connected by Microbiome System Science, Applied Microbiome Systems, and Technology and Engineering Solutions

Support: 

UMIACS logo

Administrative and technical support for the Center comes from the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS).

 

Contact: 

For Media: 

Email: media [at] umiacs [dot] umd [dot] edu

For Students: 

Students interested in joining research projects taking place in the center should reach out to one of the Center's faculty, see the Team page for a list of faculty and their research interests.

For Faculty:

Faculty interested in joining the center should reach out to one of the co-directors.

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