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We are a young group of researchers based at the University of Greifswald in Germany studying eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbes in different coastal environments. We are particularly interested in their interactions with eachother and with larger organimsms as well as their roles in ecosystem carbon cycling. Microbial interactions are diverse and ubiquitous and are central to understanding biodiversity and element cycling in ecosystems such as coastal seas, lakes, rivers and streams!
Our interests include:
Our interests include:
Microbiomes of aquatic macrophytes and microalgae
Community ecology of microbiomes, from microalgae to mammals.
Biofilms
Macrophyte bed ecology (kelp forests/seagrass meadows)
Mixotrophy
Peatland microbiomes
Biodiversity-functioning relationships in microbial communities
Teaching and communication of science to the general public
Open access publication
Mia Bengtsson (group leader) can also be found here:
Mia Bengtsson (group leader) can also be found here:
Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald
Bluesky @miamynta.bsky.social
Instagram @miasmicrobes
Open student thesis projects
Open student thesis projects
Are you looking for an opportunity to conduct your BSc- or MSc-thesis work in the group? Below are some potential topics! Contact Mia via email if you are interested.
Using metagenomics to detect potentially pathogenic Vibrio spp. bacteria in aquatic ecosystems
Global change is leading to higher water temperatures, more frequent heatwaves and changes in nutrient regimes in coastal and inland aquatic ecosystems. This leads to proliferation of opportunistic and pathogenic bacteria of the genus Vibrio, a global concern which threatens human and animal health. Vibrio is a large and diverse group of bacteria with many important roles in the ecosystem besides the pathogenic representatives. It is currently poorly understood why certain strains become pathogenic and how they can be controlled. Environmental monitoring tools to rapidly detect strains of concern and predict outbreaks are currently lacking. Classical tools depend on time consuming microbial cultivation and strain characterization, while modern DNA sequencing-based approaches fail to detect Vibrios before they have become abundant. Therefore, we want to develop a method combining the sensitivity of classical tools with the rapid and detailed information that can be gained by next-generation sequencing approaches. As a MSc student in this project, you will perform fieldwork to sample and cultivate diverse Vibrio populations in the Baltic Sea and in freshwater lakes in Germany and Sweden, apply state-of-the-art molecular methods such as metagenomics and analyze these datasets with the latest bioinformatic tools. The project is a collaboration between the University of Greifswald in Germany and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden and you will benefit from interactions with international experts. Join us to tackle one of the most pressing challenges to aquatic ecosystems and contribute to science that helps mitigate the effects of global climate change and promote human and environmental health!
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