BRIE consists of 5 Different Research Teams.  Below is a list of the Research Teams and a brief description of their objectives.  For further informatin, see the BRIE home page, the web page of the individual team, or contact the team leader.

Of the 3.8 billion years of documented life on Earth, the first 2 billion were represented exclusively by prokaryotic life. The biosphere was--and is--dominated by microbes, yet culture studies have characterized < 0.1% of the microbial realm.   Can we use geochemical insights to improve methods for isolating microorganisms from a wide range of natural environments? In particular, can we isolate and characterize microorganisms from extreme environments such as cold vent systems and glacial ice? How does microbial life impact the ice-bound record of atmospheric and climate change? Have extremophiles developed unique enzymes and other biomolecules that have industrially or medically useful characteristics?

Organisms, although present wherever water is available, tend to stick to earth materials and create uniquely reactive cell-mineral interfaces. Thus, we seek to know what are the specific cell-surface attractive forces by which organisms attach to mineral and engineered surfaces? Further, can manipulation of these forces enhance contaminant remediation efforts or reduce biofouling of industrial materials?

The high surface area and chemical demands of bacteria drive accelerated rates of reactions with a broad array of earth materials. In particular, we ask, how do bacteria acquire metals from minerals during soil formation and rock weathering? What properties control the interaction between anaerobic microorganisms with mineral surfaces? Do feedbacks between trace metal availability and organism growth impact the global environment?

Organisms contain and process thousands of organic compounds. Yet, our understanding of the fates of biological molecules is sharply limited by the complexities of natural environments. What are specific chemical and microbiological controls on the bioavailability and biodegradation of natural soil organic matter? Can these be used to facilitate biodegradation of synthetic compounds in soils and sediments?

Anaerobic organisms dominated the first 3/5 of Earth’s history, and anoxic wetlands, saturated soils, and aquatic sediments cover a large portion of the Earth today. Yet, because of the difficulties of studying anaerobic organisms in the field, we have limited understanding of microbial life in low-oxygen environments. How do sediment oxygen dynamics influence the rates and mechanisms of carbon and nutrient cycling and the release of greenhouse gases? Can we use isotope-labeled substrates to trace paths of anaerobic metabolism, such as methane oxidation? What are the microbial consequences when oxygenated low-salinity wastes mix with anoxic waters?

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Last modified: December 08, 1999