Kerala becomes first Indian state to declare Bacillus subtilis as State Microbe

Key facts

• Kerala declared Bacillus subtilis as its State Microbe, making it the first state in the country to officially designate a state microbe.
• Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the designation during the inauguration of the Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM) in Thiruvananthapuram.
• Bacillus subtilis is a probiotic bacterium found in the environment, human gut, and fermented foods.
• CoEM, established by the Kerala government, aims to study microorganisms' role in health, environment, and sustainability.
• CoEM functions under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) in collaboration with the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC).
• CoEM is the first institution in India to integrate microbiome-based translational research across human health, nutrition, immunity, agriculture, fisheries, and environmental conservation.
• CoEM signed MoUs with Kerala Startup Mission and Amrita School of Biotechnology for future collaborations.