My lab studies microbes by following their evolution in action. We use experimental evolution techniques and computational biology to evolve microbes with desired new functions in food, nutrition and ecology - for the benefit of humans and nature. We focus on evolving microbes for healthier and more nutritious fermented foods. We also evolve microbes to serve as therapeutical probiotics for the human gut microbiome. Specifically, we evolve microbes to remove excess of harmful molecules from our body, like cholesterol. To find new avenues for probiotic therapeutics we also investigate the relation between the human microbiome and nutritional intolerance. For example, we study the effect of the microbiome on symptoms of lactose intolerance in order to develop probiotics for people with lactose intolerance.