At the Rare Endophyte Collectors Club (RECC) biological hobbyists meet to identify, discuss and trade information about new, rare and hard to access microorganisms. The race is on: who will get to unlock, collect and share the secrets of the microbiome era?
Endophytes are the microorganisms, especially fungi, that live inside of plants. The relationship between an endophyte and its host plant is not well understood, but some of these microorganisms are believed to enhance host growth and nutrient acquisition, as well as improve the plant’s ability to tolerate abiotic stresses. Researchers around the world are isolating novel endophytes to investigate their potential agricultural or even pharmaceutical applications.
Visitors to the Rare Endophyte Collectors Club will get hands-on experience in this field of research by setting up the experiment, isolating endophytes, and watching them grow over the course of the exhibition. We’ll also debate and discuss the process of discovering, naming, and owning organisms in contemporary scientific research and the how and why of patenting ones findings.
What form could our microbiome future take?: Record swap? Lending library? Discotheque?
