First "Let’s talk about symbiosis" webinar
DOME
To stay connected, especially in times of physical distancing, scientists from different symbiosis research groups of the University of Vienna and the…
Division of Microbial Ecology (DOME)
Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science
About DOME
The Division of Microbial Ecology | DOME at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science | CeMESS is a team of microbiologists and molecular biologists. Our mission is to unravel the complexities of microbial life and its profound impact on our health and environment.
Our researchers explore the evolution, ecophysiology, interactions and functions of microbes across a broad range of systems. We apply cutting-edge methods, from 'omics analysis, to single-cell isotope probing, to microbial imaging, to computational community modelling.
CeMESS/Maximilian Prag
Research Projects
Get to know our research by exploring our active projects and the researcher profiles of our principle investigators.
Education
We are committed to nurturing the next generation of scientists, including undergraduate and doctoral programs, as well as intensive methods-based courses.
Facilities | Ressources
Our Facilities and Ressources include Joint Microbiome Facility, NanoSIMS, probeBase, and daime.
News
New FWF Young Investigator Researcher Group Project
DOME
Petra, Chris and Andrew have been awarded a Young Investigator Researcher Group project from the FWF, entitled “PlayNICE - Interplay between…
DOME and JMF participate in Vienna COVID-19 Diagnostics Initiative (VCDI)
DOME
The COVID-19 pandemic poses an enormous threat for healthcare systems and economies in Austria, Europe and the world. In this time of crisis,…
Contribution from Jillian Petersen for the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF)
DOME
Jillian Petersen contributed an opinion article for the science section of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) on how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic…
Air eating microbe paper receives PNAS Cozzarelli Prize
DOME
The Editorial Board of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has selected our paper with Michael Wagner, Arno Schintlmeister and…
Michael Wagner honored with Hans-Günter-Schlegel-Lecture
DOME
The Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM), joining together about 3500 scientists interested in microbiology, honors with its…
Events
Viral Intrahost Evolution – a Race in Space and Time
DOME Lecture Series
Andreas Bergthaler
Deciphering population-specific activities of marine microbes with quantitative stable isotope probing
DOME Lecture Series
William Orsi
Three amazing ideas about microbial biogeography that will blow your mind
DOME Lecture Series
Daniel H. Buckley
Latest Publications at DOME
Zhang R, Mayer L, Hikida H, Shichino Y, Mito M, Willemsen A et al. A giant virus forms a specialized subcellular environment within its amoeba host for efficient translation. Nature Microbiology. 2026 Jan 9. Epub 2026 Jan 9. doi: 10.1101/2024.10.07.616867, 10.1038/s41564-025-02234-x
Bauchinger F, Berry D. Metatranscriptomic-driven insights into mucosal glycan degradation by the human gut microbiota. FEMS microbiology ecology. 2025 Dec 4. doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiaf118
The Microflora Danica Consortium, Singleton CM, Jensen TBN, Delogu F, Knudsen KS, Sørensen EA et al. The Microflora Danica atlas of Danish environmental microbiomes. Nature. 2025 Dec 3. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09794-2
Krasenbrink J, Hanson BT, Weiss AS, Borusak S, Tanabe TS, Lang M et al. Sulfoquinovose is exclusively metabolized by the gut microbiota and degraded differently in mice and humans. Microbiome. 2025 Dec;13(1):184. doi: 10.1186/s40168-025-02175-x
Stuehrenberg J, Kitzinger K, von Arx JN, Graf JS, Lavik G, Littmann S et al. Urea use drives niche separation between dominant marine ammonia oxidizing archaea. Nature Communications. 2025 Dec;16(1):10946. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-67048-1
Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science
University of Vienna
CeMESS/Maximilian Prag