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 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.

Mohammed Rehmanji
Postdoctoral Research Assistant

Wang Shuo
DPhil Student

Lucy Wright
DPhil Student

 ​My research focuses on uncovering the genomic and molecular controls of microbial biomineralization. As a Postdoctoral Research Assistant at Oxford, I investigate how microbes direct mineral formation at the molecular level, employing methods such as forward genetics and high-throughput Raman-based screening. More broadly, I am interested in the interface of geomicrobiology, mineralogy, and molecular biology, with a particular emphasis on linking genetic pathways to mineralization processes.
As part of the ERC-funded BIOFACTS project, I work on screening microbial mutant libraries to better understand biomineralization processes. By integrating these studies with novel high-throughput Raman spectromicroscopy, we can acquire and analyse mineralogical data on large numbers of organomineralization and biomineralization systems, ultimately aiming to reveal the biomolecular and genetic mechanisms that underpin microbial biomineralization. In addition to my current work, I have developed microbial technologies for lithium recovery and explored the valorisation of microalgae for high-value products. I bring expertise in multi-omics 
approaches including genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics which I apply to dissect microbial processes at the molecular scale. Looking ahead, I aim to bridge molecular-scale insights with larger geobiological frameworks, advancing both fundamental understanding and applied solutions in geomicrobiology. By combining cutting-edge genetic tools with innovative spectroscopic platforms, my goal is to contribute to a more comprehensive picture of how microbes shape the mineral world, with implications for biotechnology, resource recovery, and Earth system science.

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 Prof. 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.

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.

Lab alumni

Sharmin Rikta, DPhil student (2021-2025)
Mbere Umoh, MEarthSci student (2024-2025)
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)