A photo from a CeMiSt postdoc selected as one of 7 runner-ups in the DG photo competition

Bacteria and microorganisms

Thursday 14 May 20

In the framework of the annual photo competition organized by the Danish National research Foundation, postdoc Anna Dragos has been selected among the seven runner-ups

With the bustle of moving to Denmark Anna Dragos forgot a leek soup in the kitchen. Much to her surprise she found out a familiar pattern growing over the soup days later. She was so intrigued that not only did she take a picture of this mesh-like-growing microorganism but also analyzed it in the lab by DNA sequencing. When the results came back it happened to be a bacterium she was working with in her postdoc project. It is a Bacillus species that she never thought she would come across in a homey environment. The photo submitted by Anna Dragos illustrates the battle that takes place between microorganisms in nature. A social process between microbes where their secondary metabolites play a major role.

CeMiSt encourages its scientists to share scientific knowledge with the general public. The DG photo competition represents a good opportunity where we can submit exciting and intriguing observations about microorganisms and their chemical language.