Bakteriopolis

Date: October 31 through November 8, 2026
Time: Daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: In front of the University Library (UB), Wilhelmstraße 32, 72074 Tübingen
Admission: Free

Organizers: Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections” (CMFI), University of Tübingen, in collaboration with the DFG Priority Program SPP 2389 “Emergent Functions of Bacterial Multicellularity,” TU Dresden

Organizers: Christin Baumgärtel (TU Dresden), Jessica Slavetinsky (CMFI), and Leon Kokkoliadis (CMFI)

Description:
Bacteria live in dense communities. They exchange signals, compete for nutrients, and build shared structures. The traveling exhibition “Bakteriopolis” brings this world to life in a walk-through container. It originated from the DFG Priority Program SPP 2389 “Emergent Functions of Bacterial Multicellularity,” which is coordinated at TU Dresden. Researchers from the CMFI Cluster of Excellence helped develop Bakteriopolis.

As part of the celebrations marking the 550th anniversary of the University of Tübingen, Bakteriopolis will be on display in front of the University Library for nine days. CMFI researchers are overseeing the exhibition and supplementing it with content from their own research. For example, they demonstrate how they use bioinformatics to search for new antibiotics in bacterial genomes, how microbes interact within communities, and how materials can be dyed using pigments from bacteria. To this end, they bring their research and small experiments into the container. At hands-on stations, visitors can 

At hands-on stations, visitors can try things out for themselves and view microorganisms under a microscope. We’re also showcasing two video games on the topic of antibiotic resistance—“Pacman” and “ESKAPE Game”—which were developed in recent months and can now be played on-site.

Experiment Day for Kids: On Friday, November 6, we invite children to come and experiment from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Bakteriopolis is part of the University of Tübingen’s Science & Innovation Days, which take place on November 6 and 7 (https://sidays.com/).

Contact: Leon Kokkoliadis