Bryophytes are the second most diverse group of terrestrial plants and can colonize almost any ecosystem on Earth (peatlands, tundra, alpine areas, drylands, tropics, geothermal areas, etc.). They possess very low levels of morphological and anatomical complexity and limited capacity of self-internal regulation (poikilohydry), and yet they are extremely tolerant to abiotic stress, such as heavy metal toxicity. Exposure to heavy metals imposes a strong selective pressure to plants, nonetheless, bryophytes are able to thrive and some species even specialize to live in highly contaminated environments. Nowadays, there is still limited information about the ecological and evolutionary significance of heavy metal accumulation and tolerance in bryophytes as well as on the molecular pathways underlying these traits. In this seminar I will present BRY’O’MICS, a project funded by the European Commission designed to provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying the existence of phenotypic variability for heavy metal tolerance and hyperaccumulation in bryophytes.