Department (s)
Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology

Members

Begoña Ayo Millán, Marian Unanue Vivanco, Itxaso Artolozaga Bengoetxea, Zuriñe Baña García, Ainhoa Uranga Larralde

Keywords

Microbes sea, ecology, bioprospecting

Description

We study the abundance, composition, diversity and functional activity of the microbial communities (prokaryotes, bacterivorous protists and virus) in the marine environment. Although we regularly sample at a station located on the coast of Armintza (Bizkaia) in the East Cantabrian Sea, we have joined microbial oceanography cruises in Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean and the Southern Ocean. In addition, in the context of Malaspina Circumnavigation 2010 Expedition we analyzed waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Currently the group´s interest focuses on:
Marine microbial ecology analyzing the main regulatory factors of the abundance, composition and function of the bacterial community, and studying in particular the impact of climate change on marine microbes.
Marine microbial bioprospecting to obtain enzymes with biotechnological interest, bacterial inhibitor compounds or plastic degrading bacteria.

Lines of Research

1. Marine microbial ecology
2. Marine microbial bioprospecting

Equipment

Epifluorescence microscopes, fluorescence plate reader, respirometer, incubators, biological safety cabin, filtration systems, -80 °C freezer, HPLC, thermal cycler

Website link

https://www.ehu.eus/en/web/marinemicrobes/home 

Contact

inigo.azua@ehu.eus