Check out a new paper from the group looking at adapting the algal microbiome to enable faster growth on a toxic waste effluent. The experiment initiated in 2016, where we collected samples from a landfill leachate pond, isolating algal and bacteria strains, as well as communities. The work was undertaken just as the BBC documentary called "The Secret Life of Landfill" was released (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bgpc2f),where they surveyed microbial life in a harsh leachate environment, and hence we were particularly excited to see what we found too. The answer? Lots and lots. Check out the paper to see how we evolved the community and thereby selected for strains that enabled approx. 300% increase in growth rate of a hardy Chlorella vulgaris strain (a strain we are using in lots of other experiments now).

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