Our research centers on microorganisms that drive the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle, with a particular focus on key nitrifiers: nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox). Using a combination of molecular, omics, and microbial physiology approaches, we identify new nitrifying microbes and investigate their metabolism, ecophysiology, and evolution. Our goal is to achieve a fundamental understanding of nitrification in natural and engineered ecosystems, with implications for improving agricultural and wastewater management practices and reducing nitrous oxide emissions.
We are also interested in microbe-microbe interactions within complex microbiomes, such as biofilms in natural and engineered environments. By integrating omics, fluorescence and chemical imaging, and computational analyses, we identify microbial partners and study their interactions in situ. These efforts aim to uncover core principles of microbial interaction that shape the composition, spatial organization, and functional adaptability of microbial communities.
