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Dr James Bradley [CV]
Principal Investigator CNRS Chaire de Professeur Junior, MIO, France. Honorary Reader in Arctic Biogeochemistry, QMUL, UK. Email: jbradley[dot]earth[at]gmail[dot]com Bluesky: @drbradbrad James earned his BSc in Physical Geography from the University of Bristol in 2011 and completed a PhD in Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol in 2016. James was then awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Centre for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations, at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles (2016-2018), and a second fellowship from the Deep Carbon Observatory, also held at the University of Southern California (2018-2019). James also held a Humboldt Fellowship at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam (2019-2022). In 2019 James was appointed as a Lecturer in the School of Geography at Queen Mary University of London, and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2021, and Reader in 2023. In 2023 James was awarded an ERC Starting Grant (project: SIESTA). James left QMUL in 2023 but retains an affiliation to QMUL as Honorary Reader in Arctic Biogeochemistry. In 2024 James was appointed as CNRS Chaire de Professeur Junior at the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography in Marseille, France, where he is currently based. |
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Dr Rey Mourot
Postdoctoral Researcher, MIO Bluesky: @Rey_Mourot Rey is an ecologist with expertise in both field-based research and bioinformatics. Their work focuses on community ecology, astrobiology, and the effects of climate change on polar ecosystems. They completed a BSc in Biology at Sorbonne University, followed by a Master’s in Ecology and Evolution at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. Rey earned their PhD in Geosciences from the Free University of Berlin in collaboration with the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ Potsdam), where they investigated the ecology of supraglacial microbial communities. Currently, Rey is a postdoctoral researcher on the ERC-funded SIESTA project, studying microbial dormancy in extreme environments, with a special emphasis on Svalbard glaciers. |
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Dr Adam Solon
Postdoctoral Researcher, QMUL As a microbial ecologist, Adam has conducted research across a range of ecosystems from grasslands of the United States to deserts of Antarctica to the world's highest active volcanoes of the Puna de Atacama in Argentina and Chile. He combines approaches from microbiology, ecology, and biogeochemistry to better understand how nutrient limitation and elemental stoichiometry influence nutrient cycling and microbial community assembly. He earned his BA in ecology and evolutionary biology, and his PhD as a member of the Alpine Microbial Observatory, at the University of Colorado Boulder . Currently, Adam is working as a postdoc on the NERC-NSF funded SUN SPEARS project studying soil development and microbial community assembly in glacial forefields of Svalbard. |
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Dr Eloi Martinez-Rabert
Postdoctoral Researcher, MIO Bluesky: @soundslikealloy Eloi is a theoretical microbial ecologist with expertise in Individual-based Modelling and bioenergetics calculations. He is also interested in astrobiology, complex systems and scientific philosophy (i.e., philosophy informed by science). He earned his B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering and M.Eng. in Biological and Environmental Engineering at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He obtained his PhD in Civil Engineering from University of Glasgow studying the microbial ecology that shapes nitrifying communities using theoretical models. He worked as a research associate at University of Wisconsin-Madison developing stable microbial communities with antifungal properties. Currently, Eloi is working as a postdoc on the HFSP-funded aeromicrobiology project at the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography in Marseille (France). He is developing models to explore the potential habitability, ecological structure and function of microbial communities in Earth’s (and exoplanet’s) atmosphere. |
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Margaret Cramm
Postdoc, QMUL Bluesky: @microbeMAC Margaret enjoys studying life at extremes. She began her research career in the Geomicrobiology group at the University of Calgary, studying the biogeography of thermophilic spore-forming bacteria and the distribution of methanotrophic bacteria and benthic megafauna near an Arctic marine methane seep. She completed her PhD at Queen Mary University of London in 2024 exploring microbial communities in Arctic permafrost and their connection to biogeochemical cycles, and is currently a postdoc on the NERC-NSF SUN SPEARS project working on microbial dynamics in Arctic soils. |
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Sonia Papadaki
PhD Student, QMUL Twitter: @PapadakiSonia Sonia earned her BSc in Medical Sciences at the University of Exeter, and completed her MSc in Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol. She is fascinated by microbial life in the cryosphere and its relevance as a system to study extreme environments, the limits of life, and models for astrobiology research. Sonia's research focusses on microbial communities in Arctic endolithic environments, with particular focus on microbe-rock interactions and biosignatures. |
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Laura Molares Moncayo
PhD Student, QMUL & MIO Laura Molares Moncayo earned her BSc in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL), and completed her MSc in Systems Biology, Genomics and Computational Biology at the École Normale Supérieure (FR). She is particularly interested in the study of extremophiles as indicators of the limits of life and how it expands our concept of the habitability of environments. Her PhD research explores the role of the atmosphere in shaping and sustaining microbial communities on glaciers. In addition to research, she is also passionate about science communication and the representation of women and ethnic minorities in science. |
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Sibylle Lebert
PhD Student, MIO Sibylle earned a BSc in Humanities and Technology from the University of Technology of Compiègne, followed by a bioengineering degree from the same university in 2024. A first experience in marine microbiology in Iceland in 2021 sparked her deep interest in contributing to the preservation of Arctic ecosystems. A second internship in aeromicrobiology in Denmark strengthened her passion for research, leading her to pursue a PhD in Arctic microbiology. As part of the SIESTA project, her work explores the environmental factors that trigger bacterial ice nucleation activity in glacial habitats, along with the links between ice nucleation and dormancy as adaptive survival strategies. Since her undergraduate studies, Sibylle has been particularly interested in understanding the interplay between science, society, and human behaviour, and strives to approach research with a critical awareness of its broader implications. |
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Pascaline Francelle
PhD Student (co-supervised), QMUL Twitter: @pascalinefr Pascaline completed her MSc in Freshwater and Marine Ecology at Queen Mary University of London, and interned at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. She is fascinated by the use of genetics in ecology; from sea turtle philopatry, to phenotypic plasticity and cuttlefish olfactory systems. Now, Pascaline is part of an exciting multidisciplinary project called BioPEP (Biodegradable Plastics as emerging Environmental Pollutants), which investigates the impact of bioplastics on the environment. Her PhD focusses on the interaction between microbial communities and plastics in estuarine systems. Her primary supervisor is Dr Özge Eyice. Pascaline is specifically interested in the environmental factors influencing microbial communities’ dynamics and the biogeochemical cycles they drive. |
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Jess Caughtry
PhD Student (co-supervised), UCL Jess is a PhD student funded through the London NERC Doctoral Training Programme, based at both University College London (where she is primarily supervised by Louisa Preston) and Queen Mary University of London. Previously she obtained an Oceanography Masters degree at the University of Southampton, before spending time at the European Space Agency where she further grew her passion for space science. Jess' PhD mixes environmental science with astrobiology, researching the geochemistry, physics and extremophile microbiology associated with sulphur-ice environments and applying this knowledge as an analogue for icy moons like Europa. |
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Will Tallon
PhD Student (co-supervised), UEA Will earned a first-class honours degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Reading in 2022. For his final-year project, he studied bacterial colonies found within speleothems. Will was selected as one of just 20 scholars in the Critical Decade for Climate Change program. His PhD at UEA (primarily supervised by Marcela Hernández) explores the role of bacteria in Arctic soils following glacier retreat, and their influence on key processes such as soil development, climate interactions, and carbon cycling. His work centers on bacteria that oxidize carbon monoxide, a process that impacts greenhouse gas fluxes as ecosystems evolve. Utilizing a range of techniques, including gas chromatography, he examines microbial activity in soils from Svalbard, investigating how these communities shift over time and what that means for our changing climate. |
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Begüm Kasaplı
Masters (M2) intern, MIO Begüm is a master's student at Freie Universität Berlin, pursuing studies in Planetary Sciences. She earned her BSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul. Her research interests are focused on the search for life beyond Earth, with a particular passion for exploring the conditions that could support life on other planets and moons, and studying life forms that thrive in extreme conditions on Earth, using atmospheric sciences as a tool to understand these phenomena. |
Lab alumni
Margaret Cramm - PhD student, QMUL (2020-2024).
Now: Postdoc, QMUL, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Marseille, France.
Margaret was a PhD student in the School of Geography at Queen Mary University of London, working on microbial communities in thawing Arctic permafrost, microbial dormancy, and their connection to biogeochemical cycles.
Amy Solman - PhD student, QMUL (2020-2024).
Now: Risk Aggregation Analyst at Brit Insurance, London, UK.
Amy was a PhD student in the School of Geography at Queen Mary University of London, working on microbial community assembly mechanisms and microbial activity on high Arctic glaciers.
Zhou Lyu - Postdoc, QMUL (2021-2024).
Zhou was a postdoc on the NERC-NSF SUN SPEARS project. She is a biogeochemical modeller with expertise in terrestrial ecosystem biogeochemistry modelling, focussing on carbon dynamics and climate change.
Rey Mourot - PhD student, GFZ Potsdam, Germany (2020-2024).
Now: Postdoc, ERC StG SIESTA, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Marseille, France.
Rey was a PhD student at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, primarily supervised by Prof. Liane G. Benning. Their PhD was part of the Deep Purple project, an ERC Synergy Grant that studies the contribution of microbial blooms to the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Rey’s project focusessed on the study of microbial community interactions and their survival throughout freezing-thawing cycles and in the snow-ice transition.
Anastasia Hambi - Research Student, QMUL, UK (2022-2023).
Now: MRes Student, University of Bristol, UK.
Anastasia took part in the NERC-funded SUN SPEARS project in which she performing geochemical analyses to investigate soil formation following glacial retreat. She graduated with a first-class degree in Environmental Science from Queen Mary University of London in 2023 and won two awards for her research project on proglacial soils ('Best dissertation' and 'Excellence in climate and environmental change').
Zoonii Kayler - MRes Student (co-supervised), University of Bristol, UK (2021-2023)
Zoonii was an MRes student in Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol, whose research focussed on microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of supra- and sub-glacial environments of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
Now: Postdoc, QMUL, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Marseille, France.
Margaret was a PhD student in the School of Geography at Queen Mary University of London, working on microbial communities in thawing Arctic permafrost, microbial dormancy, and their connection to biogeochemical cycles.
Amy Solman - PhD student, QMUL (2020-2024).
Now: Risk Aggregation Analyst at Brit Insurance, London, UK.
Amy was a PhD student in the School of Geography at Queen Mary University of London, working on microbial community assembly mechanisms and microbial activity on high Arctic glaciers.
Zhou Lyu - Postdoc, QMUL (2021-2024).
Zhou was a postdoc on the NERC-NSF SUN SPEARS project. She is a biogeochemical modeller with expertise in terrestrial ecosystem biogeochemistry modelling, focussing on carbon dynamics and climate change.
Rey Mourot - PhD student, GFZ Potsdam, Germany (2020-2024).
Now: Postdoc, ERC StG SIESTA, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Marseille, France.
Rey was a PhD student at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, primarily supervised by Prof. Liane G. Benning. Their PhD was part of the Deep Purple project, an ERC Synergy Grant that studies the contribution of microbial blooms to the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Rey’s project focusessed on the study of microbial community interactions and their survival throughout freezing-thawing cycles and in the snow-ice transition.
Anastasia Hambi - Research Student, QMUL, UK (2022-2023).
Now: MRes Student, University of Bristol, UK.
Anastasia took part in the NERC-funded SUN SPEARS project in which she performing geochemical analyses to investigate soil formation following glacial retreat. She graduated with a first-class degree in Environmental Science from Queen Mary University of London in 2023 and won two awards for her research project on proglacial soils ('Best dissertation' and 'Excellence in climate and environmental change').
Zoonii Kayler - MRes Student (co-supervised), University of Bristol, UK (2021-2023)
Zoonii was an MRes student in Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol, whose research focussed on microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of supra- and sub-glacial environments of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
Join the lab!
I welcome enquiries from enthusiastic and motivated applicants from around the world. If you are interested in joining the lab as an undergraduate or graduate student, post-doc, or visiting researcher/scholar, please contact me.
Undergraduate students: Please contact me to find out about opportunities for independent study and research in the lab.
Postgraduate & PhD students: I seek exceptional students, both academically and personally. Ideal members of the lab have a clear vision of their research goals, are enthusiastic, mature, good communicators, flexible and have a strong background in a relevant discipline.
Post-docs: I am willing to work with dedicated candidates to develop fellowship and grant proposals that would fund their work in the lab. Potential postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to contact me a year before their desired start-date, to allow time to develop these proposals.
In this lab, we judge on science and integrity, not by sex, gender, or race. Earth and environmental science, like other scientific disciplines, is and has been dominated by white faces and voices. Scientists from marginalized and under-represented groups are frequently subjected to bias while working at field sites, at meetings, in labs and classrooms, and in life. This must stop. Integrating a diverse set of experiences is critical for a comprehensive understanding of science. Discrimination and injustice, racially or otherwise, is not welcome and will not be tolerated in this space.
I welcome enquiries from enthusiastic and motivated applicants from around the world. If you are interested in joining the lab as an undergraduate or graduate student, post-doc, or visiting researcher/scholar, please contact me.
Undergraduate students: Please contact me to find out about opportunities for independent study and research in the lab.
Postgraduate & PhD students: I seek exceptional students, both academically and personally. Ideal members of the lab have a clear vision of their research goals, are enthusiastic, mature, good communicators, flexible and have a strong background in a relevant discipline.
Post-docs: I am willing to work with dedicated candidates to develop fellowship and grant proposals that would fund their work in the lab. Potential postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to contact me a year before their desired start-date, to allow time to develop these proposals.
In this lab, we judge on science and integrity, not by sex, gender, or race. Earth and environmental science, like other scientific disciplines, is and has been dominated by white faces and voices. Scientists from marginalized and under-represented groups are frequently subjected to bias while working at field sites, at meetings, in labs and classrooms, and in life. This must stop. Integrating a diverse set of experiences is critical for a comprehensive understanding of science. Discrimination and injustice, racially or otherwise, is not welcome and will not be tolerated in this space.