Part of the Department of Microbiology Fall Seminar Series

Part of the Deparment of Microbiology Fall Seminar Series and co-sponsored by MGSA. This special Alumni Seminar is given in honor of Dr. Juergen Wiegel. The winner of the 2022 Dr. Juergen Wiegel Graduate Award in Microbiology will be announced at the seminar. Dr. Tolar will be holding a career discussion with Microbiology Graduate Students, watch your email for sign up information.

Dr. Juergen Wiegel joined the UGA Biochemistry Department as a postdoc in 1977, and he joined the faculty of the UGA Department of Microbiology in 1982.  He became an established international authority on thermophilic anaerobes and earned the 2007 Bergey’s award.  Dr. Wiegel’s research resulted over 230 publications and three US Patents, but his scientific legacy also lives on through the countless graduate students he trained in his lab, in his graduate teaching in presentation skills and microbial diversity & physiology.

Part of the Department of Microbiology Fall Seminar Series.

Part of the Microbiology Department Fall Seminar Series.

Part of the Department of Microbiology Fall Seminar Series.

Microbiology Department Fall Seminar Series. This seminar will be hosted by MGSA and given by Dr. Chris Marx, University of Idaho. Dr. Marx will attend a special luncheon with interested Microbiology Graduate Students.

Biomining – Critical Minerals Recovery Using Microorganisms

Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential to many high-tech devices, and thus are of critical and strategic importance. Our goal is to develop cost-effective, environmentally friendly technologies for bioextracting and bioaccumulating REEs from several kinds of rocks and minerals. Microbes tested for bioextraction included Cupriavidus basiliensis SRS, a bacterium isolated from the Savannah River Site (SRS). When bastnaesite was inoculated with C. basiliensis SRS, extraction of REEs such as cerium (Ce), lanthanum (Ln), and neodymium (Nd) was significantly higher (>20 ppb) than for other cultures. Siderophores were identified as a potential biomining mechanism. Next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes was used to monitor microbial population changes associated with biomining. C. basiliensis SRS, when added to mining material, dominated 99% of the microbial population. C. basiliensis SRS sorbed >90% Ce and Ln from solution over controls in biosorption studies. It was demonstrated that C. basiliensis SRS can bioextract select REEs from mined materials at ppm concentrations when combined with heat treatment. C. basiliensis SRS also successfully extracted Uranium (U) and Nickel (Ni) from contaminated SRS stream sediments. C. basiliensis SRS genome annotation reveals numerous putative proteins responsible for metal acquisition and homeostasis. Further studies of bioremediation, bioextraction, and molecular characterization are ongoing to understand and develop biomining strategies.

The Microbiology Department is hosting an orientation/information session for ILS students on Friday, September 9, 2022. The event kicks off with a keynote talk by Dr. Courtney Ellison at 1:00 pm. Additional recruiting faculty will give short research talks followed by a Q & A session. Following the faculty research talks there will be a graduate student poster session. ILS students are welcome to attend the entire event or drop in at any time. Please contact mibcoord@uga.edu for additional information.

Dr. Courtney Ellison will be giving the Keynote talk during our 2022 Welcome Retreat. The Welcome Retreat is an event focused on showcasing the various research projects that are ongoing in the Department of Microbiology. All new ILS students are invited to attend a series of faculty talks followed by a graduate student poster session. Dr. Ellison's talk is open to anyone that would like to attend. Please contact the Microbiology Department at mibcoord@uga.edu for additional information.