The work of BSMS honorary research fellow Anna Dumitriu will form part of the latest permanent, interactive exhibition at the Eden Project in Cornwall.
'Invisible You: The Human Microbiome' explores the microbiome, or human ecosystem: the invisible community of microbes, comprising bacteria, fungi and viruses that live on and in the human body.
An internationally exhibiting artist, Dumitriu is also artist in residence at the Wellcome Trust Brighton and Sussex Centre for Global Health Research. Her work on human faecal transplants and the bacteria that lives on our hands is part of a new visitor experience at Eden which will also include live science, web and educational events.
Dumitriu said: "Bacteria are the most sublime organisms on the planet. They inspire terror, joy and beauty. They affect us all, and we all need to have an understanding of what they do and what they might do."
Dumitriu's sculptural installation 'Don't Try This At Home' uses bacteria to explore the revolutionary new healthcare procedure of human faecal microbiota transplants which are used for the treatment of long-term infections caused by the superbug Clostridium difficile. Her second interactive piece, "The Human Super-organism", allows visitors to imprint their hands on a virtual Petri dish and watch the diverse communities of bacteria that live on them grow before their eyes.
'The Invisible You: The Human Microbiome' opens on 22 May at the Eden Project.
Read more about the exhibition on Anna's blog >