Microbial Ecology & Evolution
People
Principal Investigator
Prof. Cécile Gubry-Rangin
(Royal Society University Research Fellow)
c.rangin@abdn.ac.uk
I enjoy working on ecology and evolution of microbes because of the nice mix of theory, experimental molecular and genomic work and diverse field work it involves!
I am mostly interested in the mechanisms of adaptation in different environmental settings.
I believe in the need to have a good professional and personal life balance, and I love discovering new outdoors!
Dr Alaster Moffat
(Royal Society-funded postdoc)
alaster.moffat@abdn.ac.uk
(PI: Cécile Gubry-Rangin)
I am a microbiologist with expertise spanning molecular biology, chemistry, and bioinformatics. I am studying the processes that govern microbial community assembly under environmental change, using bioinformatic pipelines.
Dr Xiaoping Fan
(Novonordisk Foundation-funded postdoc)
xiaoping.fan@abdn.ac.uk
(PI: Cécile Gubry-Rangin)
My current research focuses on biological nitrification inhibitors, specifically exploring and uncovering the root exudates of different wheat cultivars and the ecological processes regulating Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI). The "mysteries" of plant-microbe interactions always make for a fascinating research area.
Dr Sarthak Malusare
(Royal Society-funded postdoc)
sarthak.malusare@abdn.ac.uk
(PI: Cécile Gubry-Rangin)
I am interested in exploring how niches of organisms evolve with respect to environmental change. Currently fascinated by how dormancy affects microbial diversity and the role of niche characteristics in dormancy.
Dr Jasmeet Kaur-Bhambra
(NovoNordisk-funded postdoc)
jasmeet.bhambra.4@abdn.ac.uk
(PI: Cécile Gubry-Rangin)
I am interested in exploring the influence of environmental factors (biotic and abiotic) on biological nitrification efficiency in wheat.
Dr Luke Harrold
(NovoNordisk-funded postdoc)
luke.harrold@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Paul Hallett, Cécile Gubry-Rangin)
My research area focuses on the behaviour of biological nitrification compounds in soil, looking at their movement under different soil conditions and in different soil types. The aim of this research is to increase uptake of N in wheat as well as reduce nitrous oxide emissions from soil.
Dr Muhammad Awais Farooq
(BBSRC-funded postdoc)
x@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Gareth Norton, Adam Price, Cécile Gubry-Rangin)
My research investigates about understanding how rice genetics influence its relationship with the microbial life in the soil. I employ genome-wide association studies to pinpoint the specific genes and QTLs that improve a plant's natural ability to inhibit nitrification (BNI).
Miss Rachel Callaghan
(Royal Society-funded PhD student)
r.callaghan.20@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Cécile Gubry-Rangin, Tom Vogwill)
My research focuses on understanding the influence of temporal environmental fluctuations (mostly temperature) on microbial adaptation. Using culture experimental evolution and long-term soil microcosms approaches, I am analysing results from both microbial ecological and evolutionary perspectives.
Mr Dylan Bodington
(Royal Society-funded PhD student)
d.bodington.22@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Cécile Gubry-Rangin, Lesley Lancaster)
I am a mature PhD student interested in microbial ecology and evolution. I am focusing on niche specialisation of microbial communities during my PhD with a strong focus on phylosymbiosis for both the entire microbial communities and for the presumed ammonia-oxidising symbionts. As a bioinformatician, my work is mostly computer-based, but I'm going to the lab from time to time.
Mr Jack Henderson
(EastBio DTP-funded PhD student)
j.henderson1.22@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Cécile Gubry-Rangin, Marcel Jaspars, Tim George)
The current focus of my PhD project is the discovery and characterisation of Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) activity in barley, as well as investigation of microbial response to BNI. My work is highly interdisciplinary, combining elements of microbiology, chemistry, and plant sciences.
Miss Ellen Smith
(A&M Johnston CDT-funded PhD student)
e.smith.23@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Cécile Gubry-Rangin, Tim George, Mike Wilkinson)
I am studying the mechanisms of plant-microbe interactions in the context of biological nitrification inhibition in barley. I come from a bioinformatics background and am interested in the relationship between plant activity and microbial community structure and function.
Miss Maeva Mounier
(SUPER DTP-funded PhD student)
m.mounier.24@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Cécile Gubry-Rangin, Marius Wenzel, Ted Henry)
I am interested in the microbial community of marine sponges. During my PhD, I will focus especially on Thaumarchaeota, their transition from free-living to symbiotic state, and their metabolic characteristics.
Miss Claire McNamee
(SUPER DTP-funded PhD student)
c.mcnamee.22@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Cécile Gubry-Rangin, Rebecca Artz, Ashish Malik, Peter Gilbert)
The research for my PhD examines the intricate relationship between microbial communities and carbon dynamics during peatland restoration. By employing a holistic, bottom-up perspective, I analyse the chemical and botanical composition of peat, characterise the active microbial communities, and measure greenhouse gas fluxes along a restoration gradient to understand the overall impact of restoration efforts.
Miss Gaoyang Ren
(Ocean University of China-funded visiting PhD student)
g.ren.25@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Jiwen Liu, Cécile Gubry-Rangin)
My research focuses on the ecology and evolution of marine ammonia-oxidizing archaea. I am currently investigating the genomic diversity and metabolic characteristics of different Thaumarchaeota lineages. My aim is to better understand their roles in the marine nitrogen cycle and how they adapt to diverse environmental conditions. I am fascinated by how microorganisms drive key biogeochemical processes and interact with their surroundings.
Miss Annie Sharon
(A&M Johnston CDT-funded PhD student)
a.sharon.23@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Gareth Norton, Cécile Gubry-Rangin, Alex Douglas)
My current research focus on identifying the QTLs and candidate genes associated with Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) in rice using ‘Genome wide Association studies (GWAS).
Mr Kyle Lowry
(Quadrat DTP-funded PhD student)
klowry04@qub.ac.uk
(PIs: Chris Allen, Cécile Gubry-Rangin, Julianne Megaw)
The aim of my PhD project is to determine ecological and physiological mechanisms underlying the ecological distribution of several haloarchaea in their saline environment.
Mr Jonathan Solve
(NovoNordisk-funded PhD student)
jona@plen.ku.dk
(PIs: Kristian Brandt, Cécile Gubry-Rangin)
I study the plant-microbe interactions involved in biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) in the wheat rhizosphere.My PhD project investigates how root exudates from wheat affect nitrifying microorganisms in soil and cultures of ammonia-oxidising microbes.
Miss Lilia Bouyoucef
(INRS-funded PhD student)
Lilia.bouyoucef@inrs.ca
(PIs: Etienne Yergeau, Cécile Gubry-Rangin)
I work on biological nitrification inhibition in wheat using a large collection of Canadian winter wheat. I aim to identify the highest BNI efficient wheat lines in this collection and decipher the soil-microbial interaction processes in place.
Mr Samuel Diaz Vasquez
(CGIAR-funded MRes student)
s.diaz@cgiar.org
(PIs: Cécile Gubry-Rangin, Jacobo Arongo, Cecile de Klein)
My MRes focuses on biological nitrification inhibition in pasture ecosystems and I am mainly interested in understanding the environmental factors influencing BNI efficiency. I am based in CGIAR in Colombia.
Mr David Coutts
(University of Aberdeen-funded core technician)
david.coutts@abdn.ac.uk
I am core technician in the laboratory and I take care of daily chores, while providing support to the group. I also maintain and preserve our collection of nitrifying bacteria and archaea.
Dr Yiyu (Angus) Meng
(NovoNordisk-funded technician)
yiyu.meng1@abdn.ac.uk
I am a research technician supporting a NNF funded interdisciplinary project on biological nitrification inhibition in wheat. My expertise is mostly molecular biology, microbiology and some soil sciences.
Dr Beverley Minter
(BBSRC-funded technician)
beverley.minter2@abdn.ac.uk
I am a research technician supporting a BBSRC funded interdisciplinary project on natural variation in biological nitrification inhibition in rice, which includes plant, soil and molecular biology research.
