The Novo Nordisk Foundation CO2 Research Center

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 CORC CORC Research Marshall Group

Marshall Group

Associate Professor Ian Marshall

Ian Marshall study the ecology, physiology, and evolution of bacteria and archaea by DNA and RNA sequencing, using the genomes and transcriptomes of cultivated or uncultivated microorganisms to better understand their distribution and activity in various environments. In practice this involves the sequencing of microbial isolate genomes and transcriptomes, shotgun metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and amplicon sequencing of phylogenetic and functional marker genes. Since starting work at Aarhus University Ian Marshall has mainly, but not exclusively, focused on the marine sediment microbial ecosystem. He is currently working on understanding the evolution, metabolism, and ecophysiology of cable bacteria.

>> Center for Electromicrobiology

CO2 reduction with the help of cable bacteria

Associate Professor Ian Marshall, Department of Biology, Aarhus University
Senior Researcher Thomas Boesen, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University
Professor Andreas Schramm, Department of Biology, Aarhus University
Professor Lars Peter Nielsen, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University

A team of four researchers specializing in electro-microbiology at Aarhus University is proposing to study the metabolism and water-oxidizing capabilities of cable bacteria to develop more efficient methods of CO2 reduction. Water (H2O) offers an abundant and easily accessible source of such electrons for the electrochemical reduction of CO2; however, with the disadvantage that current technologies for oxidizing water are inefficient.

The group have dicoverd a novel mechanism in cable bacteria for H2O oxidation in the conductive fibers from the cells’ periplasms. They want to study whether this novel mechanism could inspire a new type of biomimetic catalysts for use in CO2 reduction technologies,” the four researchers explain in their proposal.

Their project aims to investigate how this reaction works in cable bacteria by analyzing the protein structure and function of the catalytic water-splitting site. Through this analysis, the project has the potential to shed light on nature’s unique approach to catalyst design.

Assistant Professor Ian Marshall, Aarhus University

Research Group Leader at the Novo Nordisk Foundation CO2 Center at Aarhus University

Assistant Professor at Aarhus University, Department of Biology, Center for Microbiology
Revised 06.03.2024
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Tina Fruelund