Professors and students at Virginia State University are collaborating with researchers nationwide in an ambitious effort to identify thousands of unknown soil microorganisms. The initiative is led by Dr. Xiangfan Xie, Associate Professor in the Department of Biology and Founding Director of the VSU Center for Biotechnology, Genomics, and Bioinformatics (CBGB). Dr. Xie is also a founding member of the Biodiversity and Informatics for Genomics Scholars (BioDIGS) Consortium, a multi-institutional partnership bringing together students, educators, and scientists to advance the study of soil microbial diversity.
Through the BioDIGS Consortium, researchers have already identified more than 1,000 new bacterial strains and previously undocumented microbes. The nationwide collaboration works collectively to characterize the identity, function, and genomic composition of nearly 99 percent of soil microorganisms that remain unstudied—a phenomenon scientists often describe as microbial “dark matter.” Considered one of the largest coordinated efforts in the country to examine soil microbial diversity, the BioDIGS Project unites institutions across the United States in pursuit of a deeper understanding of the living systems beneath our feet.
For students at Virginia State, the initiative provides meaningful, hands-on research experience. Participants collect soil samples from campus and surrounding areas, conduct genomic sequencing, and analyze complex biological data to better understand how microscopic organisms influence environmental systems, agriculture, and human and animal health. These experiences equip students with transferable laboratory, analytical, and computational skills that strengthen their preparation for careers in biotechnology, medicine, environmental science, and other STEM fields.
“We are happy to be part of this nationwide organization working on such a meaningful research project,” said Dr. Xie. “Projects like this are the best way to train our students to become leaders in today’s scientific and technological fields, providing them with in-depth knowledge and practical skills through extensive research experience.”
Microorganisms, though invisible to the naked eye, are foundational to life on Earth. They regulate nutrient cycles, support plant growth, influence climate systems, and sustain animal and human health. Yet the overwhelming majority remain unidentified. Over the past two years, Virginia State researchers have analyzed soil samples from campus and nearby sites, contributing to findings that were recently featured in Nature Genetics, one of the world’s leading scientific journals.
The publication marked the consortium’s first major research milestone and included Dr. Xie and collaborators as co-authors.
