The Chan lab invites postdoctoral research applications to work on several newly funded projects on microbial Fe oxidation. The objectives of the projects are to: 1) Determine the key genes and proteins involved in neutrophilic microbial Fe oxidation; 2) Establish marker genes for monitoring microbial Fe oxidation in natural systems; 3) Better understand how cells interact with Fe minerals, both as electron donors, and as waste products. These projects are funded by NSF, and involve collaborations with Sharon Rozovsky (UD), Jeff Gralnick (University of Minnesota), Denise Akob (USGS), and Kirsten Küsel (FSU-Jena). Candidates should have a PhD in a relevant field (e.g. Microbiology, Biochemistry, Molecular/Cellular Biology), and be interested in microbial Fe oxidation and Fe biogeochemistry. S/he should have experience in at least some subset of the following: Biochemistry of redox-active proteins (particularly membrane proteins); Microbial culturing and physiology (especially challenging organisms); Transcriptomics, genomics, bioinformatics; Fe metabolism and redox chemistry. Further information can be obtained by contacting Dr. Clara Chan (cschan@udel.edu).
Featuring C-DEBI Researchers and Educators Frank Robb, Christopher Petrone, Jennifer Biddle and Rosa Leon Zayas.
The average human adult contains 10 trillion human cells, but has 100 trillion microbes on their skin, hair and mouth and in their intestines. Most of these microbes are beneficial – they protect us from harmful bacteria, help us digest food and can even help change our mood.
Microbes are also found living in the sediments up to 1.5 miles below the sea floor, invisible to the naked eye and most ordinary microscopes, yet they play an important role in this underwater ecosystem.
Delaware Sea Grant (DESG), in partnership with the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI), has expanded its collection of 15 Second Science videos and developed other multimedia educational resources to explore the deep biosphere and sub-seafloor life.