Alessandro Garritano

My academic journey has been focused on deciphering the mechanisms that underpin the relations of microbial communities and their crucial roles across a variety of ecosystems. My research, grounded in metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses, investigates the composition, structure, and functional potential of these communities, with a special focus on understanding the complex dynamics of the carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen cycles.

Project: Novel microbial processes that support life in the deep ocean

Supervised by: Torsten Thomas and Belinda Ferrari

Project Description: Carbon assimilation is essential to support life on our planet and, consequently, also in the deep ocean. This assimilation in deep oceans often happens via autotrophic (CO2 fixing) chemosynthesis, which is carried out by microorganisms. Autotrophic chemosynthesis removes carbon in the form of carbonic acid and thus reduces CO2 concentration in the ocean and consequently in the atmosphere. This fixed carbon can then be potentially used by corals and sponges and would represent a long-term sequestration of CO2.