DNRF Chair Mohammad Bahram

Prof. Bahram’s research focuses on assessing the role of soil microbes in various ecosystem processes and how these microbes interact with plants, particularly in the context of environmental changes. Additionally, his work involves developing new tools and methods to assess biodiversity and ecosystem functions.

Soil microbes play key roles in regulating key ecosystem functions such as carbon and nutrient cycling, as well as plant health and productivity. They contribute to these processes by acting as decomposers of organic material, parasites/pathogens, and plant mutualists. Despite the increasingly recognized importance of soil microbes, we still lack an understanding of the dynamics of plant-soil-microbe interactions. A deeper understanding of plant-soil-microbe interactions is crucial for predicting how shifts in plant and microbial communities may influence ecosystem functioning and resilience.

In the DNRF project, Prof. Bahram’s team will address the limitations of studying different components of plant-soil-microbe interactions in isolation, with the goal of deciphering the dynamics of these interactions and exploring how they drive ecosystem functioning and resilience. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies, the research will integrate high-throughput molecular methods for microbial identification, experiments focusing on metabolic interactions and adaptive stress responses, and advanced modeling techniques. An in-depth understanding of plant-soil-microbe interactions will have implications for the development of sustainable agricultural practices..

Photo: Siiri Juris og Tarquin Netherway/Louise Reinbach Rasmussen