Public lecture: Can I get that to go? - An Advanced Mobile Lab to enable field-based microbial ecology and cell biology across scales

Environmental samples offer unparalleled insights into biodiversity, provide vital ecological context and enable us to validate the findings derived from model organisms across the tree of life. Yet, working with environmental samples comes with its own challenges - amongst them the need of being close to our study subjects and at the same time having access to sophisticated analytical technologies. While field stations and research vessels serve an important role here, their capabilities are often limited, and significant disparities in equipment across locations can hinder reproducibility and comparative studies. To address this gap, we present the Advanced Mobile Laboratory, a mobile state-of-the-art molecular biology facility. As a proof of concept, we deployed it across Europe as part of the Traversing European Coastlines expedition where the AML bridged field accessibility with cutting-edge methodologies — including microscopy, flow cytometry, and sample preparation for electron microscopy analyses. Now part of EMBL’s suite of core facilities, the AML offers a novel model: rather than requiring researchers to come to the lab, the lab comes to them. This infrastructure allows for standardised, high-quality data collection directly in the field and we strive to enable unprecedented insights in the field of microbial ecology and cell biology.