The Department of Microbiology is composed of 11 research groups interested in the various aspects of the biology of microorganisms, including microbial ecology, evolution, physiology, metabolism, cell biology, genetics, symbiosis. The focus of the research is related to three main themes: microbial metabolism, microbial envelopes and the interactions of microbes with their hosts and the environment.

The groups of the department study a large panel of organisms (bacteria, archaea, and their viruses) originating from different microbial biotopes such as soils, aquatic habitats, extreme environments, and human, animal and plant microbiomes. The groups have a shared interest in answering fundamental questions related to the biology of microorganisms at the molecular, cellular and population levels. They use microorganisms as models to characterize fundamental biological mechanisms but they are also interested in the biology of the microorganisms themselves, including their lifestyles and interactions with the environment.

Several teams invest in the development of applications based on their fundamental research. This translational research concerns three major fields of economic and societal importance: health, environment and bioenergy. In addition, several of our groups develop approaches for modifying microorganisms of major industrial or agronomic importance such as Corynebacteria, Streptomycetes and Rhizobia, to improve their performances as cell factories.