People.

Meet the lab members

Julie Cosmidis
Associate Professor of Geobiology

I am a geomicrobiologist with various research interests including microbial biomineralization an organomineralization mechanisms, microbial biosignatures, and applications of microbial biomineralization processes for material biomanufacturing. I am currently leading the Microbe-Mineral research group at the University of Oxford.

My full CV can be found here

Luke Williams
Senior Laboratory Manager

I am responsible for managing 10 labs in the fields of geomicrobiology and algal biogeochemistry. I keep up an algal culture collection of over 50 strains, collaborate and aid in experiments, maintain equipment, oversee health and safety in my labs, and am the Biological Safety Officer for the Department of Earth Sciences. I sit on the Environmental Sustainability team for the department and have achieved Gold Level LEAF accreditation for all my labs through initiatives such as creating a laboratory management system and reducing single-use plastic by up to 70%. I am currently finishing my MSc. in Biodiversity, Wildlife, and Ecosystem Health with the University of Edinburgh, and have a BSc. Hon. in Earth and Environmental Sciences from the University of British Columbia, which nurtured my interests in environmental conservation, science communication, GIS, and sustainability.

Luca Stigliano
​​Postdoctoral Research Assistant

My research interests include diverse types of microbe-mineral interactions, ranging from the formation of minerals by microbes to their dissolution, trying to elucidate the underlying fundamental mechanisms. Within this framework, as a PDRA, I am investigating the molecular controls of organomineralization and microbial biomineralization, with a primary focus on sulfur (bio)minerals. Minerals formed by microbes often exhibit unique properties that make them differ from their abiotic counterparts, such as complex morphologies, metastable structures, and organic encapsulation. Organic molecules are thought to play a significant role in controlling biominerals special properties. However, the specific role of different organic compounds in determining biominerals unique properties has yet to be studied in a systematic way. In this context, as part of the BioFacts project, we are developing a novel high-throughput screening platform based on Raman spectromicroscopy for the acquisition and processing of mineralogical data on large numbers of organomineralization and biomineralization systems, ultimately aimed at uncovering the biomolecular and genetic controls of microbial biomineralization.

Wang Shuo
DPhil Student

I am Wang Shuo, hoping to protect the environment using the power of geochemistry. My DPhil project focuses on elemental sulfur, which is crucial in human civilization and natural geobiological cycle. Using innovative methods, especially sulfur organomineralization discovered by Pro. Julie Cosmidis, we managed to produce certain elemental sulfur allotropes under environments where they are not expected to be stable/present. The sulfur generated has great potential in wastewater treatment plants and energy industry. The project aims to unveil the mystery mechanism of elemental sulfur formation and create the best recipe for making elemental sulfur for real-life applications.

Sharmin Rikta
DPhil Student

​In my DPhil research, I am investigating the dynamics of arsenic adsorption and desorption on biogenic iron manganese binary oxides. While previous studies have extensively explored these processes on abiogenic iron oxides and iron manganese binary oxides, there is a growing interest in understanding how biogenic minerals, influenced by iron- and manganese-oxidizing bacteria, interact with toxic elements like arsenic. My focus is on uncovering the role of biofilms in biogenic iron manganese binary oxide systems, as this area remains largely unexplored yet holds immense potential for understanding the complexities of arsenic interactions in natural environments. Through my work, I aim to shed light on the complex dynamics of arsenic adsorption and desorption in these settings.
My DPhil project is funded by The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK.

Lucy Wright
DPhil Student

I am a biogeochemist researching the biogeochemical cycling of carbon between sedimentary rocks and the atmosphere. Anthropogenic climate change is fast-tracking rock organic carbon, typically cycled on geological timescales, into the short-term carbon cycle. This shift has significant implications for Earth's modern-day greenhouse gas emissions and future emission scenarios.
My research aims to better constrain the role of microbial communities in mediating the release of rock organic carbon. As climate change drives regional shifts in temperature and hydrological regimes, it impacts the diversity, distribution, and metabolic efficiency of microbial communities that catalyse organic matter respiration. I am interested in investigating how feedback mechanisms associated with microbially driven weathering fluxes may evolve in response to changing environmental conditions. Additionally, I seek to understand the role of carbon substrate stability and rock mineralogy in microbe-organic matter interactions and their impact on CO2 release.

Mbere Umoh
Master student
​
I am a fourth-year undergraduate student with a strong interest in microbial interactions, particularly microbe-metal interactions and microbe-mineral. I am particularly interested in biomining for recovering critical metals from waste materials and bioremediation for contaminated soils. With further research, these methods have significant potential to be upscaled and refined, making them more reliable solutions for sustainable resource recovery and environmental cleanup. 
I am currently investigating the role of diatomaceous exopolysaccharides, chitin nanofibers, in carbonate precipitation and their possible use in chitin-carbonate hybrid materials. Such materials, due to their enhanced properties, can be used in different practical applications such as construction—a topic that I find interesting and would like to explore further. This will reduce the need to rely on more traditional methods and bring us closer to a net-zero a sustainable world.

Lab alumni

Helen Underwood, MEarthSci student (2023-2024)
Sanaa Mughal, MEarthSci student (2022-2023)
Kyros Austheim, MEarthSci student (2022-2023)
Solomon Hirsch, MEarthSci student (2021-2022)
Holly Liu, Master, MEarthSci student (2021-2022)
Isabelle Aldridge, MEarthSci student (2021-2022)