Christine gave a talk on Methane, Microbes, and More: Archaea in the Human Microbiome.
Our Deputy Director of Research, Christine Moissl-Eichinger from Medizinische Universität Graz, was the keynote speaker at the MVIF – Microbiome Virtual International Forum on January 21st.
In her talk, she explored the multifaceted contributions of archaea to human health, focusing on their role in fiber digestion, methane production, and interactions with the host.
Archaea, a distinct domain of life, play critical yet often overlooked roles in the human microbiome. Despite their recognition as members of the human microbiota since the 1970s, archaea remain understudied due to their non-pathogenic nature and technical challenges.
Recent advances from Christine’s research have unveiled more than 1,000 archaeal genomes from the human gut, encoding 1.8 million genes, half of which have unknown functions. Through a combination of metagenomics, comparative genomics, and laboratory-based studies such as targeted cultivation, she and her team aim to understand the functional and ecological roles of archaea across diverse human microbiomes, including the gut, respiratory tract, and skin.
The mission of the Microbiome Virtual International Forum (MVIF) is to advance the field of microbiome research by providing a more convenient, accessible, and globally inclusive platform for disseminating high-quality research and scientific networking. The MVIF organizes regular short-format (~3 hours) conferences that provide all the key elements of a traditional conference.