SOIL-ON-A-CHIP: Deciphering the secret life of soil microbes using novel microfluidic platforms

The ability to untangle microbial interaction and communication networks in soil is central to gaining an enhanced understanding of soil microbiome and ecosystem function. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that microfluidic technology offers new opportunities to study whole living organisms and their interactions at cellular level, affording precise environmental control, high-resolution imaging and the simulation of environmental complexity. Several microfluidic systems have been developed to probe interactions between fungi, bacteria and nematodes, as well as the interaction of plant roots with their environment, all of which (and more!) will be explored in this colloquium.