Duties
Bacterial community dynamics in relation to biogeochemistry in the sea ice
Subject area
Education and academic titles
FM, University of Helsinki
FT, University of Helsinki
Research and expertise
I am a marine microbial ecologist, specialized in molecular microbiology and bioinformatics methods. My main interest throughout my career has been organisms living in sea ice, especially bacteria. I am interested in how they survive in ice, their coupling with sea-ice algae (more specifically algal-derived DOM) and ultimately, their contribution to carbon cycling in the oceans and the consequences of diminishing sea ice for bacteria mediated processes. In addition, I’ve been involved in projects studying biodegradation of bioplastic materials in marine ecosystems.
Current tasks
Senior researcher, Research Council of Finland Research Fellow
Projects
- Wintertime greenhouse gas dynamics in the coastal polar seas – microbial pathways and processes in sea-ice methane and nitrous oxide cycling (WICE). Funding: Academy of Finland 2023-2027.
- Iron limitation on primary productivity in the Marginal Ice Zone of the Southern Ocean – unravelling the role of bacteria as mediators in the iron cycle (IMICROBE). Funding: Academy of Finland 2020-2024.
- Biodegradable plastic polymers in ocean coastal waters – degrader communities and their enzymes (BIPOD). Funding: Academy of Finland 2020-2024.
Scientific publications
List of publications: https://scholar.google.fi/citations?user=aHa3hS4AAAAJ&hl=en
Other Activities
2022- Secretary of the national committee of Scientific Committee of Ocean Research (SCOR)
2022- Member of the BioBio society (part of Federation of European Microbiological Societies, FEMS),
2019- Steering committee member of Biogeochemical Exchanges Processes at sea ice Interface (BEBSII, https://sites.google.com/site/bepsiiwg140/)
2017- Member of One Health Finland
2009- Member of Suomen Merentutkijat ry
2008- Member of Mikrobikilta