On June 22, 2026, the Cluster of Excellence “Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health” (Microplanet) answered this compelling question by hosting the first Austrian Microbiome Day at the University of Vienna Biology Building. It was an immersive encounter that brought together leading scientists, pioneering artists, and passionate science communicators to shine a spotlight on the hidden microbial networks shaping our planet. Here is a look back at how we made the invisible world tangible, edible, and unforgettable.
Science at the Frontline
The main program kicked off with welcome addresses from University of Vienna’s Vice Rector for Research Manuela Baccarini, Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner (via video message), and FWF President Christof Gattringer.
Director of Research Michael Wagner and Co-Director Christine Moissl-Eichinger then set the stage with an overview of the CoE Microplanet.
This was followed by an engaging Q&A session featuring representatives from all of our partner institutions. One by one, delegates from the University of Vienna, MedUni Wien, JKU Linz, AIT, ISTA, CeMM, TU Wien, and Med Uni Graz took the stage to highlight the unique, multidisciplinary contributions their respective institutions bring to the Cluster of Excellence.
A true highlight of the afternoon was seeing the future of microbiome research in action through presentations by our early-career researchers:
- Eliška Sedláčková & Alex Ralser unlocked the therapeutic potential hidden inside our small intestinal microbiomes.
- David Seki & Viktoriia Savchenko explored the fascinating two-way interaction between pharmaceuticals and gut microbiota.
- Cornelia Rottensteiner & Lisa-Carolin Bilz took us underground to explain why soil microbes are vital for our global future.
Where Art and Microbes Intersect
Curated by Lucie Strecker, the event seamlessly bridged the gap between complex science and visceral human experience through mind-expanding artistic installations:
- Sonja Bäumel challenged our traditional ideas of individuality. Her film Expanded Self used a life-sized petri dish as a canvas to paint a human silhouette with living body bacteria, while Fifty Percent Human and Entangled Relations-Animated Bodies prompted us to reimagine ourselves as walking, fluid ecosystems.
- Martina R. Fröschl’s Royal We – Wir sind… utilized cutting-edge scientific imaging data to show the staggering diversity of coexisting organisms on our skin and inside our stomachs.
- Monica C. LoCascio showcased Mariner I (Passenger III) and her Chimera series—sculptures created in collaboration with live, fermenting tea cultures to explore the porous boundaries of “the self”.
- MUELLER-DIVJAK stimulated our senses in the lecture hall with Forest Bathing Without Trees, an olfactory arrangement featuring scents of endangered tree species. In the foyer, they presented the immersive soundscape installation The World in My Room.
Edible Science & Hands-On Experiences
As the evening transitioned to the Foyer and Terrace, the celebration became fully interactive.
Attendees lined up at the CeMESS Microscopy Booth to peer directly down the lenses, take their very own photo as a microbe or have fun with the photobooth. Meanwhile, Buchhandlung Analog provided a beautifully curated book table for those looking to read deeper into microbial science. We also proved that caring for your microbes can be a joyful, culinary delight. Dr. Annelieke Overbeeke (Darm Kram) made science edible by crafting a fiber-rich menu designed to fuel our gut microbiotes. The evening concluded with Guided Lab Tours, giving the public a behind-the-scenes look at the frontline microbiology labs where the discoveries happen.
This event was made possible thanks to the collaborative efforts of the FWF Cluster of Excellence (Microplanet) partner institutions, including the University of Vienna, MedUni Wien, JKU Linz, AIT, ISTA, CeMM, TU Wien, and Med Uni Graz, alongside the University of Applied Arts Vienna and the Botanical Garden.
Thank you to everyone who attended, presented, and helped us step into the magnificent microcosm. We are already looking forward to the next Austrian Microbiome Day!