The Urban Microbiome

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Image courtesy of CCCB

In this session, Elizabeth Hénaff and Núria Conde, two biologists who are experts in the complexity of the interactions between living systems, will present us with a new way of looking at cities and their constituent parts.

Microorganisms can only be observed through a microscope, but the fact that they are invisible to the naked eye does not mean they are irrelevant to our daily lives. Biologist specialized in bioinformatics Elizabeth Hénaff has studied the microorganisms of urban environments, and she has pointed out the importance of our interaction with these species when it comes to understanding cities in terms of health, wellbeing and social inequality. Humans are not just a handful of genes; we are also the result of coexisting with the microorganisms around us. Studying them offers new challenges for scientific research and for how we design and think about cities.

What can microorganisms tell us about the urban fabric? What role does technology play in our understanding of these invisible life forms? What role should the study of microorganisms play in the design and planning of cities when it comes to addressing issues such as pollution or the lack of green space?

This session will held in Catalan and English with simultaneous translation from English to Catalan.

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