New availability of experimental thesis in DEB – Prof. Zucconi.

Master’s students are informed that a new experimental thesis is available at the Laboratory of Systematic Botany and Mycology starting from October 2024.

The thesis work will focus on the topic “Adaptations of microorganisms in alkaline volcanic lakes” and is part of the HELENA project – Extreme habitats of volcanic lakes for astrobiological exploration.

The experimental thesis involves isolating extremophilic microorganisms from sediment samples taken from Lake Bagno Dell’Acqua on Pantelleria Island, with the goal of studying the molecular mechanisms behind their adaptation to the lake’s unique conditions.

This research will help clarify how these microorganisms have adapted to such environments and how similar life forms might have evolved under analogous conditions in early Earth habitats. Additionally, due to similarities between the lake and certain ancient basins that may have existed on the surface of Mars, the study could offer insights and protocols for detecting microbial life in future robotic exploration of the Red Planet.

For more information, please contact Prof. Laura Zucconi at zucconi@unitus.it or Dr. Nina Kopacz at nina.kopacz@unitus.it.