Collaborating with Microbes | Mellissa Monsoon, BioArtist

Internationally recognized BioArtist Mellissa Monsoon (https://www.mmonsoon.com/) talks about her exploration of the invisible world through merging art and science. Monsoon’s practice bridges multiple disciplines, integrating illustration, sculpture and living organisms to illuminate the invisible microbial world, such as bacteria, fungi and viruses; plant life; neurology; and human anatomy. She collaborates closely with scientists to translate cutting-edge research into visual art and makes scientific discoveries accessible to a wider audience. Her work contemplates the invisible ecosystems that shape life. This talk particularly highlights her work that uses agar body sculptures to grow her own skin microbes to produce microbial self-portraits.

The One Health Microbiome Center at Penn State optimizes, accelerates, and disseminates long-lasting applications and knowledge on the microbiome with an integrative and transformative One Health approach spanning human health, agricultural advances, environmental outcomes, and bioinformatic innovation. The Center's Seminar Series solicits accomplished researchers and leaders to speak, including from right here in our backyard to research institutions worldwide. Please connect with the One Health Microbiome Center to nominate speakers, make donations to endow Center activities, and ask questions. Follow us on X (formally twitter) and BlueSky @PSUmBiome or visit our website to contact us and join the mailing list (microbiome.psu.edu).