Principal Investigator: Prof. Cecile 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
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 Lisa Cole
(Daphne Jackson-funded postdoc)
(PIs: Ashish Malik, Justin Travis, Cecile Gubry-Rangin)
lisa.cole@abdn.ac.uk
I am interested in how global change impacts upon soil biodiversity and function and aim to understand how agricultural practices affect the soil microbiome and soil's ability to sequester carbon. My research highlights how soil management could help mitigate climate change and promote more sustainable and productive agriculture.
Dr Xiaoping Fan
(Novonordisk Foundation-funded postdoc)
xiaoping.fan@abdn.ac.uk
My research focus on the ecological processes regulating Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) in a large range of wheat cultivars. I am employed within a large Consortium of scientists from Denmark and UK.
Dr Sarthak Malusare
(Royal Society-funded postdoc)
sarthak.malusare@abdn.ac.uk
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.
Miss Rachel Callaghan
(Royal Society-funded PhD student)
r.callaghan.20@abdn.ac.uk
With a background in Chemistry and Biochemistry, I have just embarked on a PhD project focused on studying Thaumarchaeota using comparative genomics and experimental evolution.
Mr Jack Henderson
(EastBio DTP-funded PhD student)
j.henderson1.22@abdn.ac.uk
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
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.
Mr Dylan Bodington
(Royal Society-funded PhD student)
d.bodington.22@abdn.ac.uk
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 sampling sponges is always a pleasure!
Miss Annie Sharon
(A&M Johnston CDT - funded PhD Student)
a.sharon.23@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Gareth Norton, Cecile 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, Cecile 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.
Miss Anastasia Leligdowicz
(EastBio DTP-funded PhD student)
a.leligdowicz.20@abdn.ac.uk
(PIs: Marius Wenzel, Cecile Gubry-Rangin)
In my PhD, I am using epigenetics (changes in gene expression) and functional genomics (assigning function to genes) to understand the learning and memory of a single-celled brainless blob, the slime mould Physarum polycephalum.
Mr Jonathan Solve
(NovoNordisk-funded PhD student)
jona@plen.ku.dk
(PIs: Kristian Brandt, Cecile Gubry-Rangin)
I am а PhD student working on BNI.
Mr David Coutts
(University of Aberdeen 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.