The DIIEM Thematic Object brings together scientists from different disciplines (Microbial Ecology, Process Engineering, Microbiological Engineering, Modeling) who apply ecological engineering strategies to different ecosystems with the same objective: to identify the levers of action to direct microbial communities towards ecosystem services of interest.

The services or functions sought depend on the system studied and the final objectives:

•  Improving process performance (transformation of pollutants, production of energy, biomass, molecules of interest),
•  Develop stable, resilient and resistant systems;
•  Control health impacts by :
  •  
• Améliorer les performances des procédés (transformation des polluants, production d’énergie, de biomasse, de molécules d’intérêt),
• Développer des systèmes stables, résilients et résistants ;
• Maîtriser les impacts sanitaires en :
  • orienting ecosystems towards the degradation of micropollutants,
  • limiting the development or survival of pathogens in transit.n :

Microbial communities are characterized using molecular techniques, and the impact of their structure and dynamics on the desired function is analyzed. Compared with natural ecosystems, bioreactors enable a number of environmental parameters to be controlled, which is a definite advantage when it comes to 'driving' an ecosystem towards a given function. What's more, some of the bioprocesses studied at the LBE (fermentation, bioelectrochemical systems) are ideal for research into microbial interactions, as they involve ecosystems simplified by the selection pressure imposed by the operating conditions.

The specific research questions are described below:

• Anaerobic digesters ;
• Fermentative ecosystems (biohydrogen, molecules of interest) ;
• Electroactive ecosystems;
• Biofilms ;
• Microalgae (photobioreactors, raceways, pure strains) ;
• Photogranules ;
• Aerobiome ;

We frequently collaborate with researchers from the SAMI Thematic Object to formalize knowledge into mathematical models, from the Qual-I Thematic Object on the impact of pathogens in waste treatment processes, and from the ICoP Thematic Object on the adaptation or design of bioprocesses.

Contact : Kim Milferstedt