The MATRIX: Microbiome Assisted Triticum Resilience In X-dimensions
MATRIX is focused on the abundant but poorly studied plant/microbial interactions occurring above ground. In this project, we will develop a scalable system-based strategy to harness the functional potential of plant microbiomes for improving crop resilience by focusing on experimental analyses and deep learning modelling of the microbial community associated with the aerial portions (phyllosphere microbiome) of wheat (Triticum aestivum), one of the most important cereal food crops worldwide. Extensive sampling of both field and greenhouse wheat under various gradients for (meta)genomics, metabolomics, and phenomics will provide foundational data to build a deep-learning predictive model of how hub microbes and metabolites influence wheat resilience and yield. These models will be iteratively tested with theoretical simulations and experimental validation to identify phyllosphere community members that are critical for productivity. Success for MATRIX will be the development of microbiome-assisted wheat cultivation practices that are resilient to ever-changing environmental stresses and resource
limitations.
Meet our team:
Project Lead:
Professor Lars Hestbjerg Hansen
University of Copenhagen
Environmental Microbiology
Project Manager
Project Manager for Matrix, Katja Annette Willrodt
North Carolina State University
Professor Christine Hawkes
Associate Professor Ross Sozzani
USDA Professor Gina Brown-Guedira
Director (Official Variety Testing Program) Ryan Heiniger
Postdoctoral Researcher Brianna Almeida
Postdoctoral Researcher Mara DeMers
Graduate Student Xavious Allen
Research Associate Mohammed Guedira
Research Assistant Matthew Willman
University of Copenhagen
Professor Jan H Christensen
Professor Svend Christensen
Professor Mads Nielsen
Professor Age K. Smilde
Associate Professor Rasmus Kjøller
Associate Professor Nikoline Juul Nielsen
Associate Professor (Data Science) Giorgio Tomasi
Assistant Professor Leise Riber
Affiliated Professor Kristian Fog Nielsen
Group Leader Simon Rasmussen
Research IT Coordinator Jesper Cairo Westergaard
Research Coordinator Majbrit Dela Cruz
Postdoctoral Researcher Alex Gobbi
Postdoctoral Researcher Sofie Bruun Knudsen
Postdoctoral Researcher Knud Nor Nielsen
Postdoctoral Researcher Chayan Roy
Postdoctoral Researcher Ewa Makowicz
Postdoctoral Reseracher Nikoline S. Olsen
Postdoctoral Researcher Svetlana Kutuzova
Postdoctoral Researcher Xiaomeng Liang
Graduate Student Laura Milena Forero Junco
Graduate Student Marie Højmark Fischer
Graduate Student Nikolina Engler
Graduate Student Ricardo Medina
Graduate Student Peter Erdmann Dougherty
Graduate Student Tammy Wong
Research Assistant Tomas Diera
Research Assistant Saiful Azim
Research Assistant Kitzia Yashvelt Molina Zamudio
Research Assistant Agnieszka Marta Rzepczynska
Laboratory Manager Peter Christensen
Technical University of Denmark
Professor Anders Bjorholm Dahl
Associate Professor Simon Rasmussen
Graduate Student William Michael Laprade
Leiden University
Professor Jos M. Raaijmakers
Postdoctoral Researcher Viviane Cordovez da Cunha
Graduate Student Linda Gouka
Research Assistant Caroline Vogels - van der Beek
Alumni
Postdoctoral Researcher Sara Agnolet
Research Associate Elizabeth Thomas
Research Assistant Nathaniel Matthew Yang
