National projects

Soil quality is decreasing worldwide, due to erosion and intensive use of farmland. Crop plants are not adapted to reduced nutrient content, which is why we need to develop novel soil fertilization approaches delivering nutrients to the vicinity of the roots. In alpine oligotrophic soils mineral-weathering microbes accumulate in “hotspots” in the rhizosp...

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common form of visual impairment in the world, affecting more than 67 million people in the EU alone. Early stages are often asymptomatic and there is no cure or treatment to reverse the course of the disease. Supplementation with two natural xanthophylls, lutein and zeaxanthin, is currently the only effective measu...