Our microbial future
Modeling the
invisible world
of microbiomes.
µHub collects microbial relative abundance data from labs worldwide, to model community dynamics and delivers insights into their interactions. With optimization-based, generalised Lotka–Volterra equations, it uses complex and modern algorithms, whilst staying completely free to contributing labs.
From sequencing run
to global insight.
The microbiome modeling problem, no more.
Many institution cannot afford to investigate the full interactions between microorganisms in samples of out diverse ecosystems. By collecting from hundreds of labs, µHub achieves geographic and ecological breadth that is otherwise unseen, using this to build a database that expanding over time.
Zero marginal cost to contributors as you upload data you are already generating!
Want to
contribute?
Join others to be one of the first labs to contribute and benefit from µHub to model your microbiomes.
µHub, completely
free to use.
No subscription. No ads. µHub is free for users and academic contributors, because the value is from the collected data, and what this brings for OUR future.
Example simulation
Everything we provide now
and in the future...
Common questions
Inferring microbial interactions with dynamic models.
Our work has adapted theoretical models to be able to infer microbial interactions from real world datasets. Using our model to understand complex microbial relationships, industrial processes can be optimized and efficiency can be improved.
Interactions are
everything.
Microorganisms do not exist in isolation. They exist in complex microbial interaction networks. Interactions between two species can be classified into different types and can have a negative, positive, or no impact on the species involved.
Identifying these interactions is not at all easy, and as more species are added to the mix, the problem gets increasingly complicated.
Types of microbial interactions
What we do.
\[{dx \over dt}=\alpha x-\beta xy\]
\[{dy \over dt}=\delta xy-\gamma y\]
What can you do with this
information?
Microbial interactions play a fundamental role in industrial processes. This includes applications in biofuel production, bioremediation, and food processing. Our current partners are in the food processing industry and have used the learned microbial interactions to improve the food quality and safety by using optimized starter cultures in fermented foods.
From first
launch to home
sequencing.
Our 5-year plan:
Establishing µHub for wide-spread microbial modeling and an application increasing focus and knowledge about microbiology.
Even further into the future:
Home sequencing for everyone and µHub as an analysis and interpretation tool for personal microbial ecology.
The idea
We saw that only few labs and businesses used the recent advances in modeling algorithms. This seems to be related to the lack of experience with those and of computing power for more complex datasets.
Interest validation
Many students complain about their lack of focus whilst studying. We asked how this could be imrpoved. Additionally, especially younger pupils have no connection to microbiology.
Now
App prototype
Using latest modeling approaches, responsive web design and example data, our developers sought out to combine microbial modeling with an educational focus app.
Widening database, launch and first commercial licenses
Curate several microbiome interaction parameter databases from labs, focussing on gut microbiome. First data licenses sold to probiotic and food science companies, whilst information for participating labs remains free. Followed by expansion.
Personal microbiome integration
Integration with low-cost mail-in sequencing kits. Users link their own data to personalise the simulations run on their device, allowing for insights into individual ecology.
Home sequencing era
Sequencing technology has gotten more affordable. If portable methods reach consumer pricing, µHub would the first step in analysis and interpretation. Everyone can be given a real-time outlook into their own microbial ecology, modeled against the world's largest citizen-contributed dataset.
A circular
data ecosystem.
Three stakeholders. Each contributes AND receives something benefitting their specific position, as well as overall science and public.
Who participates.
Why now. Why µHub.
Our surveys show the need and interest of a focus app of this theme:
Built by four QBio students at HHU Düsseldorf.
µHub is a project developed in the 2026 for the microbial ecology course of Quantitative Biology. The team combines expertise in dynamical systems modelling, data science, wet lab biology, and science communication.
@Anja Tißen
