Function and Responsibilities:

Head of aquatic geochemistry laboratory
Head of radioisotope laboratory
Radiation safety officer

Research Interests:

Deep Biosphere
Biogeochemistry of lacustrine sediments
Lakes as carbon sinks
Pore water geochemistry
Direct turnover rate measurements with radiosotopes
Microbial biomass quantification

Career:

Since 6/2012 Staff Scientist at Helmholtz Center Potsdam, Section 4.5 Geomicrobiology (tenured)

6/2012-9/2013 Managing Head of the Geomicrobiology Group, Universität Potsdam

10/2008-5/2012 Head of the Geomicrobiology Group, Universität Potsdam, Germany, as part of the BMBF-funded “Forschungsverbundprojekt GeoEnergie”

12/2006-9/2008 Postdoctoral Scholar at the GeoForschungs Zentrum, Potsdam, Germany, Section  Organic Geochemistry.

1/2005-11/2006 Postdoctoral Scholar of the NASA Astrobiology Institute at the Graduate School of Oceanography of the University of Rhode Island, USA

10/2003-12/2004 Coordinator of the 2004 DEBITS (Deep Biosphere in Terrestrial Systems) drilling campaign GeoForschungs Zentrum Potsdam, Germany)

1/2000-9/2003 PhD Student at the Dept. of Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany

1999 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar at the Dept. of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA

Education:

2003 Doctoral degree (Dr. rer. nat.), Universität Bremen

1999 Exchange Student at UNC Chapel Hill

1998 Diploma in Geology, Universität Bremen

1997/1998 Exchange Student at the Southampton Oceanography Centre

1995 Pre-Diploma in Geology/Paleontology, Universität

Projects:

T-Limit - Temperature Limit of the Deep Biosphere off Muroto, IODP Exp.370. Funding DFG, Priority Program IODP

ThermoSill - Effects of local heating due to sill intrusion on subsurface microbial activity. Funding DFG, Priority Program IODP

Prospectomics - Using omics techniques for hydrocarbon prospecting. Funding EU, Future Emerging Technologies (FET) Program

GeneOil - Genomic exploration of oil reservoirs.Funding Lundin Energy/Aker BP

Archean Park - Relicts of Ancient Cellular Biochemistry in High-CO2 Subsurface Ecosystems. ERC Synergy Grant

HighCO2 - HGF InnoPool Project

MGF2 - Ausschluss mobiler grundberührender Fischerei in marinen Schutzgebieten der Ostsee. Funding BMBF

Research Boards and Committees:

2016-2019 IODP Scientific Evaluation Panel, German Representative

2016-2020 Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc, Spain, Member of the Advisory Board

2013-2018 International Society for Environmental Biogeochemistry, Member of the advisory board

Awards:

2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award, Biogeosciences

2014 Distinguished Lecturer, European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD)

2005/2006 NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) Postdoctoral Fellowship

1998 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship