This Maine scientist explores the wonders of microbes — and puts them to work

 Microbiologist Anne Madden of Yarmouth has been discovering and utilizing microbes in partnership with The Roux Institute. She occasionally wears her microbe dress to work. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer) PORTLAND — In August, Anne Madden will trek through the jungle of the Peruvian Amazon, searching for microbes that thrive in a boiling stretch of river. She may be able to use these teeny organisms, with their unique tolerance of extreme environments, to one day aid space exploration. As a microbiologist, Madden uses microbes to approach all kinds of challenges. She usually doesn’t have to go as far as South America to find them, thanks to the “microbial jungle” she says is all around us. Now, she’s working to use microbes to solve issues right here in Maine. The category of microbe — the general name for any living organism too small to be seen by the naked eye — is extremely diverse and includes bacteria, fungi and viruses. While microbes have gained an overall negative reputation for causing human infections, outbreaks and crop diseases, their abilities also encompass a huge range. “Ninety percent of these species remain unknown to Western science, and more than just being unknown, they help us in ways that are under-appreciated,” said Madden.  Madden, 42, is a founder of The Microbe Institute, a nonprofit based in part from her Yarmouth home, partly across a variety of research and education institutions, with the mission of “democratizing microbial discovery.” Madden not only goes looking for microbes, but also puts them to work addressing human problems. Madden grew up in Falmouth, where exploring tidepools and kayaking on Casco Bay sparked her love for nature and science. She graduated from Falmouth High School in 2002. Her high school chemistry teacher Andrew Njaa, who retired this year after 29 years teaching in Falmouth, said she left an impression. Advertisement [](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/19/what-a-maine-researcher-has-learned-studying-woodchucks-for-nearly-3-decades/) Related [What a Maine researcher has learned studying woodchucks for nearly 3 decades](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/19/what-a-maine-researcher-has-learned-studying-woodchucks-for-nearly-3-decades/) “She was very serious about the science and incredibly careful and thorough, beyond where most kids would be,” he said. “She was one of the first students here that I had that just really blew me away.” At Wellesley College, her interest in biology led her to fall in love with the world of microbes. From there, she got her doctorate in biology from Tufts University, studying the relationship between paper wasps and microbes. Through that project, she also found that the yeast she found in paper wasp nests throughout New England is also exceptionally good for making sour beers. Typically, brewers either need a souring chemical or a bacteria similar to that used to make yogurt to add sour flavor to beer. This yeast, Lachancea thermotolerans, acts like a domesticated brewing yeast but also adds sour flavors and floral aromas to the brew. “Flavor is a very hard thing for a yeast to create, and they do it beautifully,” said Madden. Now, using Lachancea yeast to make sour beers is widely popular in the brewing industry. Many brewers don’t even know the peculiar origin of this ingredient’s discovery, said Madden. She co-founded the biotechnology startup, also called Lachancea, which distributes the ingredient. Related [Rockland exhibit combines iPhone and biology to create a world of color, geometry | Column](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/17/rockland-exhibit-combines-iphone-and-biology-to-create-a-world-of-color-geometry/) Throughout her academic and industrial career, Madden has found other uses for microbes alongside partners at other research institutions and private innovators. In 2020, she founded The Microbe Institute to bring this work together. Advertisement “Rather than gatekeeping these practices and information, I want to help everyone be able to discover the next wasp yeast, or what have you,” she said. The microbiology field is relatively small in Maine, said Robert Wheeler, a professor of microbiology at the University of Maine. He researches the fungus Candida, a yeast that can infect immunocompromised people. Many microbiologists in the state are tackling how to combat harmful microbes, he said. “Understanding which microbes could be useful for people and developing those for some utility is a really exciting and fascinating thing that she’s doing,” said Wheeler.  He said he’s excited to hear about microbe innovation taking place in Maine. [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Lachanceathermotolerans_InsectYeast_cr_AnneAMadden.jpg) A plate of lactic acid brewing yeast, of the species Lachancea thermotolerans, that Anne Madden isolated from a wasp nest. The yeast can be used to make a monoculture sour beer. (Courtesy of Anne Madden) “I think that’s going to enrich a lot of aspects, potentially, of education and research that happens in the state, and possibly in industry as well,” he said. Madden takes two approaches to matching a microbe to solve a real-world problem. Advertisement One path to this match between issue and organism is starting with the problem and finding a microbial solution. For her, this has looked like seeking alternative to dyes used in the Moroccan carpet weaving industry that are harmful to weavers and the environment, so going out and finding a microbe that makes a vibrant purple for a natural alternative. “We just have to think about where it may have evolved in the world, and then what are the steps we can take to bring it into a lab,” said Madden. The other is to start with a microbe, see what it’s good at, and look for issues it could solve, like uses for wasp nest yeast. “That feels a little bit like a guidance counselor. ‘What are your interests? What are you exceptional at? Where’s the match?’” she said. The Microbe Institute connects research scientists who collaborate on these projects to advance microbial discovery, as well as educators and artists to enhance awareness of microbes and their potential. In Maine, she shows the beauty of these microbes to students and the public. Related [Yarmouth small businesses look to the future through Roux Institute program](https://www.pressherald.com/2025/10/23/yarmouth-small-businesses-look-to-the-future-through-roux-institute-program/) Partnering with Gray-New Gloucester schools, The Microbe Institute led sixth grade students in painting with microbes — in this case, invisible yeast cells — that then revealed their artwork as the yeast bloom and became visible. Advertisement At the Museum of Beadwork in Portland, the institute is collaborating on a special exhibit of microbes and mushrooms, featuring bead projects from the community that highlight the intricate beauty of the microbial world. The display opens with a [weekend of science workshops on July 11 and 12](https://www.museumofbeadwork.org/pages/special-event). In June, Madden was awarded the National Geographic Society’s Wayfinder Award presented by Kia. It honors 15 “visionary” international scientists, educators and storytellers dedicated to caring for the natural world — Madden was the only honoree from the United States. Madden never stops being a positive representative for microbes  — her 2017 [TED Talk](https://www.ted.com/talks/anne_madden_meet_the_microscopic_life_in_your_home_and_on_your_face) on their relevance to humanity’s well-being has over 1.7 million views — including in her fashion. She wears a custom-made dress patterned with colorful scans of yeast cells, paired with a gold wasp necklace. Her closet also has one-of-a-kind hats adorned with microbes that rival Kentucky Derby apparel, which she said she’ll wear to technology conferences; people comment and she can start telling them about microbes. She pairs these science communication outfits with heels, her signature look since the days of Falmouth High School. With her fashion, she wants to be an example of what a scientist could look like, particularly for girls in high school, where she herself had limited role models. When students visit the Roux Institute or she comes into the classroom, it’s also important to her that she highlights her journey growing up in and returning to Maine. She moved back in 2022 to be closer to family, the state’s nature and it’s growing innovation through places like the Roux Institute. “They’re surprised that a Mainer like them can go out in the world, go to jungles, explore these different spaces,” said Madden. Like getting students to see their own limitless possibilities, Madden also wants Mainers to see the endless potential of microbes — and their ability to help a changing world. “My goal ultimately is to change … all of society’s perspectives about the microbial world, so that the first thought isn’t ‘gross’ or, ‘Oh, I’ve never thought about the microbes that live near me,’ but rather to see wonder and sources of hope and innovation all around us,” she said. Copy the Story Link Tagged: [research](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/research/), [Roux Institute](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/roux-institute/), [science](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/science/) [](https://www.pressherald.com/author/sophie-burchell) [Sophie BurchellStaff Writer](https://www.pressherald.com/author/sophie-burchell) Sophie is a community reporter for Cumberland, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth and Falmouth and previously reported for the Forecaster. Her memories of briefly living on Mount Desert Island as a child drew her. [More by Sophie Burchell](https://www.pressherald.com/author/sophie-burchell)