The redox ladder of electron donors and electron acceptors provides a systematic approach to explore the many possibilities of microbial energy metabolism. Calculations of Gibbs free energy by the reactions provide a means to predict their feasibility under in situ conditions. Yet, we are repeatedly confronted with new and surprising examples of how microorganisms harvest energy from their environment. Have we now discovered the most important strategies or are great and unexpected discoveries still waiting for us out there?
During this workshop we will climb up and down the redox ladder to explore how chemical potential is exploited by microbial life in the seabed. We will explore the possible combinations of electron donors and electron acceptors and search for new principles of microbial energy metabolism. We will discuss recent knowledge on microbial ecophysiology and how microbes evolve and interact to conserve energy from their dynamic environment.
In addition to the exciting science, there are two occasions that motivate this workshop.
Firstly, the Center for Geomicrobiology at Aarhus University, which was founded October 1, 2007 with a ten-year perspective, will end September 2017. The Center research has focused on microbial life in the deep sub-seafloor biosphere. This theme was the background for three international workshops organized through the Center on "Microbial life under extreme energy limitation" in 2007, 2012 and 2015.
Secondly, the head of the Center, Bo Barker Jørgensen, will officially retire after the Center terminates in September 2017. He will continue as emeritus professor at the Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University. The themes of the workshop and the invited speakers reflect the life-long research interests and international collaborations of Bo. Thus, this workshop will both provide a status of current and future research in marine geomicrobiology and will be an opportunity to bring together the scientific family of old colleagues and new young scientists in the field.
We invite you and other researchers in marine geomicrobiology to join 3½ days of interesting and stimulating presentations, discussions, break-out sessions, social interaction and a cultural event. The talks and posters will describe new results of recent work, provide an overview of the specific research theme, bring up open questions and ideas, or a give a combination of all this.
