Environmental Microbiology

The CEE Environmental Microbiology research group investigates environmental microbiology and microbial ecology using modern molecular, genomic and computational approaches. Aquatic systems are a particular focus of the group, but studies are wide-ranging and include marine plankton, sediments, animal-microbial systems and deep-subsurface microbial habitats.

Microbial organisms and activities mediate many key biogeochemical and environmental processes. Yet methods for identifying, quantifying and modeling microbes and microbial activities in the environment are poorly developed. Members of the CEE Environmental Microbiology research group are therefore actively engaged in devising new approaches for studying microbes at the level of single cells, individual species, populations, entire microbial communities and ecosystems. Activities include the development of new technologies based on microfluidics, genomics, flow cytometry and other technological advances that will allow us to describe and quantify microbes and microbial processes in the environment more precisely.

Members of the Environmental Microbiology research group have specific expertise in general microbiology, ecology, genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, oceanography, microfluidics and environmental microbiology. Their research includes investigation of both laboratory-based model systems (for example, Prochlorococcus and Vibrio species), as well as studies focused on complex microbial assemblages in the environment.

Members of the group are also actively engaged in large collaborative efforts (for example, the Darwin Project and the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education) that combine the efforts of physical scientists, biologists, ecologists, oceanographers and mathematical modelers. These efforts seek to develop and apply new integrative approaches to study microbial evolution, ecology and biogeochemistry as well as to better describe, model and predict the complex microbial communities and processes that underpin ecosystem properties, behavior and services.

Researchers

Eric Alm, Assistant Professor (Joint with the Department of Biological Engineering)
Sallie W. Chisholm, Professor (Joint with the Department of Biology)
Edward DeLong, Professor (Joint with the Department of Biological Engineering)
Martin Polz, Professor
Roman Stocker, Associate Professor
Janelle Thompson, Assistant Professor

Research Projects