What’s New Across the Global iMAPS Network in the World Microbiome Partnership (WMP)
Metabolic monitoring and mining of microbiota @ single-cell, anytime & anywhere.
1. iMAPS Overview
A global consortium advancing single-cell metabolic observation, profiling, sorting, and recovery across microbiome science.
For 3.8 billion years, microbes have served as the invisible architects of the living world. Yet only a very small fraction of microbiome potential has been explored and utilized. iMAPS is building a global network of Microbiome Metabolic Observatories (MIMO) at single-cell resolution to observe, decode, mine, and harness in-situ microbial metabolism.
Each node functions as a metabolic sensor, strain miner, and ecological restorer. Powered by metaramanomic instrumentation, AI-assisted phenotyping, and downstream workflows for single-cell cultivation or DNA/RNA sequencing, the network enables direct detection, sorting, and recovery of cells with targeted in-situ metabolic functions.
iMAPS is also organized as a collaborative support system: members share data, protocols, expertise, instrument time, training, and workshops wherever possible, creating a distributed but connected ecosystem spanning Asia, Europe, and North America.
Why this page matters
This Q1 2026 update highlights three priorities:
- network expansion and new node deployment
- application-driven scientific outputs
- community events, workshops, and funding channels
Vision, Mission and Approach
The conceptual framework behind the iMAPS initiative.
Vision
To profile, decode and mobilize microbial metabolism globally so that microbiomes can benefit health, agriculture, environmental restoration, climate resilience, and biomanufacturing.
Mission
- Build a global network of metabolic sensors, strain miners, and ecological restorers.
- Shift from sequence-based functional prediction to rapid, low-cost single-cell metabolism measurement and mining.
- Create biobanks for in-situ-functioning strains.
Approach
Metaramanomics serves as a high-throughput platform for generating single-cell “6W” data: Who, What, Wealth, Why, When, Where by profiling Raman spectra and sorting in-situ-functioning microbiota for downstream cultivation or sequencing.
2. Featured Scientific Outputs
Recent publications across the iMAPS ecosystem, covering antifungal susceptibility testing, microbial classification, coral microbiome reconstruction, probiotic science, wastewater biotechnology, and industrial fermentation.
Antifungal Susceptibility Test via single-cell morphology, development, and metabolism
Rapid classification of Pantoea spp. via Raman flow cytometry
Reconstruction of coral holobionts and elucidation of the causal relationships among symbiodiniaceae, bacteria, and coral through single-cell Raman spectroscopy metabolomics
Cross-domain transfer of trehalose biosynthesis genes contributes to adaptation in high-altitude environments
RamEx: an R package for high-throughput microbial ramanome analyses with accurate quality assessment
Precise probiotic therapy: Advances, bottlenecks, and the road to microbiome-informed nutrition
Application and mechanisms of wastewater load regulation for enhanced partial denitrification in constructed wetlands: From microbiome structure to single-cell functional validation
Single cell profiling framework reveals metabolic subpopulations as drivers of bioproduction heterogeneity
Single-cell phenotyping and sequencing uncover metabolically active low-abundance yeasts in thermophilic fermentation
Tracking production and interconversion of extra- and intra-cellular metabolites during beer fermentation by ramanomics
3. Major Events and Network Milestones
Selected launches, node expansions, partnerships, and workshops from Q1 2026.
Oral iMAPS Initiative launched at IADR 2026 (March 27, 2026)
The Oral iMAPS was formally launched in San Diego, bringing together teams from The University of Hong Kong, UC San Diego, QIBEBT (CAS), West China School / Hospital of Stomatology of Sichuan University, Peking University School of Stomatology, Qingdao Stomatological Hospital, Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, and ADA Forsyth Institute.
iMAPS Platform at University of California, San Diego established (March 11, 2026)
An iMAPS platform was established at the Center for Microbiome Innovation, with the 2026 CMI International Microbiome Meeting highlighting the growing role of function-based single-cell phenotype profiling and sorting in microbiome discovery.
SynBio iMAPS Platform at Imperial College London expanded (March 2–3, 2026)
The Digital Colony Picker (DCP) was installed alongside an already operating FlowRACS platform, further strengthening the iMAPS node at the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and Microbial Food Hub.
KAIST–CAS strategic partnership for building C1 iMAPS platform (January 13, 2026)
Prof. Byung-Kwan Cho from KAIST visited QIBEBT, CAS for academic exchange and technical discussions, and both sides agreed to pursue joint design and construction of an iMAPS platform and collaborative R&D in C1 gas fermentation.
BioMed-iMAPS Workshop hosted by SIMM, CAS, in Shanghai (January 6, 2026)
The workshop brought together more than 70 scientists for scientific exchange and instrument demonstration on FlowRACS, DCP, RamanAI, and biopharma-facing iMAPS workflows.
4. Upcoming Activities
A forward calendar of workshops, symposia, demos, and community engagement activities scheduled for 2026.
| Date | Activity | Location | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 17–19, 2026 | iMAPS Workshop for Geological Microbiology | Lanzhou, China | Yet-to-culture microorganisms |
| May, 2026 | iMAPS Workshop for Synthetic Biology | Shenzhen, China | Single-cell phenome sorting technology for synthetic biology |
| June 8, 2026 | Ocean iMAPS / ARCO Workshop | Xiamen, China | Marine microbiomes and their roles in global warming and environmental sustainability |
| Jun 7–12, 2026 | Soil iMAPS Symposium at 23rd World Congress of Soil Science | Nanjing, China | Soil microbiome profiling and in-situ metabolism |
| July 2–5, 2026 | iMAPS talk at the mLife Research Conference | Tianjin, China | Multi-omics technologies and iMAPS for microbial life research |
| July, 2026 | iMAPS Workshop for Traditional Chinese Medicine | Macau, China | Pharmacological evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine at the single-cell level |
| July 20–25, 2026 | Annual Agri iMAPS Symposium and Live Demo / Training of Soil iMAPS Platform | Changchun, China | iMAPS advancements in soil microbiology |
| Summer 2026 | Southeast Asia iMAPS Workshop | Singapore | Regional service launch for NTU/NUS node |
| Summer 2026 | iMAPS Summer School (Sponsored by the CAS PIFI Program) | Qingdao, China | Biomanufacturing, agricultural and pharmaceutical fields |
| July, 2026 | iMAPS Workshop for Metrology | Beijing, China | Standardized protocols for microbiome measurements |
| Sep 17–18, 2026 | iMAPS Workshop for Biomanufacturing | Beijing, China | iMAPS advancements in industrial microbiology |
5. Funding Opportunities for iMAPS
Current international mobility and collaboration channels highlighted in the newsletter.
CAS President’s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI)
Open year-round. A flagship initiative of the Chinese Academy of Sciences designed to promote global scientific collaboration and researcher mobility across career stages.
The program provides support for living expenses, international travel, insurance, and research allowance.
- Distinguished Scientist: short-term academic visit (1–2 weeks)
- Visiting Scientist: for postdoctoral researchers and junior scientists (1–6 months) to conduct collaborative research at CAS institutes
CAS International Visiting Student Program
Supports international graduate students to conduct research at CAS-affiliated institutes for 1–6 months.
- Monthly stipend: RMB 10,000
- Travel allowance: RMB 10,000
Both programs require a Chinese partner institution to submit the application.
Stay Connected with the iMAPS Community
As the network continues to scale, iMAPS is moving from distributed node building toward coordinated scientific delivery. Members are encouraged to share research updates, workshop announcements, node milestones, and collaboration opportunities for inclusion in future issues.
