WUR wishes to study microbes and microbiomes under various controlled conditions. Characterize microbial communities, including the microbes, their activity and interactions: Which microbes are there, what do they consume and produce under which conditions.
With an automated workstation it will become possible to process many samples in a short period of time. The various conditions studied in the first challenge, will most likely result in a large number of samples on a daily basis.
In order to provide complete and unbiased information, the envisaged system should provide the necessary technology to extract nucleic acids, proteins and metabolites from a single sample. The extracts can be analysed for their microbial composition, activity, consumption and production.