Dr Staicu will spend six months at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, USA) as Scholar in Residence doing research with the team of Prof John Stolz. The research stage delves into microbial biomineralization and is funded by the Fulbright Program.
The project aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which bacteria generate cellular energy using “exotic” substrates, such as arsenic and selenium compounds, which display high toxicity to most living organisms. This strategy to produce energy in organic-poor environments played a key role in the early evolution of life on Earth. Unravelling this process from a molecular (enzymes and genes) perspective will help elucidate how life evolved and increased in complexity.
Stay tuned for more!
Geomicrobiology 