I am a microbial ecologist working at the interface of biodiversity, community ecology and environmental microbiology, with previous Biodiversa+ experience as co-coordinator of a succesful international BIODIVERSA+ project bid on microbial biodiversity. My research investigates how microbial diversity and community structure determine ecosystem responses to anthropogenic disturbance, biological invasion and environmental change.

I can contribute approaches for mapping microbial biodiversity at multiple levels, from taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity to functional and genetic diversity, including antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and their microbial hosts. My group combines short- and long-read metagenomics, community profiling, qPCR/ddPCR, experimental microbial ecology and controlled mesocosm systems to link biodiversity patterns to ecological processes.

A particular strength is moving from descriptive biodiversity patterns towards ecological mechanisms, including invasion resistance, community resilience, horizontal gene transfer, anthropogenic selection and the spread of functional traits across environmental compartments.

Key expertise: microbial biodiversity; microbial ecology; metagenomics; environmental AMR.

Ecology
Microbiology
Molecular Biology

I am interested in joining or co-developing a BiodivFuture consortium investigating how environmental change creates novel microbial communities and how changes in microbial biodiversity affect ecosystem functioning, resilience and biological invasion.

I can contribute a microbial ecology component that moves beyond taxonomic diversity to integrate phylogenetic, functional and genetic biodiversity. This could include metagenomic mapping of microbial communities, functional genes, antimicrobial resistance genes and mobile genetic elements, together with experimental approaches testing how altered communities respond to disturbance or invasion.

I am particularly interested in projects addressing freshwater and human-impacted ecosystems, including rivers, wastewater-influenced environments and other ecosystems undergoing rapid anthropogenic change. Potential contributions include field-based microbial biodiversity assessment, experimental validation using controlled microbial communities or river biofilm systems, and linking biodiversity loss or restructuring to ecosystem resilience, invasion resistance and the dissemination of mobile functional traits.

I am looking for partners providing complementary ecosystem, biodiversity, modelling, environmental-driver or socio-ecological expertise.

microbial biodiversity, microbial ecology, metagenomics, freshwater ecosystems, novel ecosystems, ecosystem resilience, biological invasion, antimicrobial resistance, horizontal gene transfer, anthropogenic disturbance

I will attend the upcoming EcotoxicOmics conference in Greece and would be happy to meet potential BiodivFuture partners there. Beyond this, I am readily available for online meetings to discuss potential collaborations, consortium development and possible contributions to emerging project ideas.