Deep-sea biology
One of our target environments, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, host diverse and highly specialized ecosystems adapted to extreme ecological conditions. We are exploring this unique biodiversity for metabolic traits and as a resource for novel biomolecules for human exploitation.
Projects
Science projects
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:
2021 - 2026 UiB Centre for Deep-Sea Research (CDeepSea) - Funding: Trond Mohn Foundation
2021 - 2025 DeepSeaQuence; Uncovering the metabolic secrets and capacity of Arctic deep-sea hydrothermal vent microbiomes. Funding: Research Council of Norway. P.I: R. Stokke.
2021 - 2024 Eco-Safe Ridge Mining: environmental risk studies towards sustainable deep-sea mining on the Mid-Ocean Ridge in Norway. Funding: Research Council of Norway. P.I: P. A. Ribeiro.
2021 - 2024 Life at the limits: diversity, adaptation strategies and bioprospecting of microbes living in Arctic deep sea habitats (IN-DEPTH, https://twitter.com/Project_INDEPTH), Funding: EEA-Norway grant. P.I UIB: I. H. Steen
2020 - 2023 Vent & Seep Fauna in Norwegian Waters. Funding: Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (Artsdatabanken). P.I: Mari Heggernes Eilertsen.
PROJECT COLLABORATORS:
2021 - 2023 RAS-TOOLS: A microbial toolbox for RAS production and innovation. Funding: NordForsk, Research Council of Norway. P.I. H. Dahle.
2019-2023 HyPOD: Hydrothermal Production of Organic molecules: carbon transformation and Decomposition in ocean crust fluids. Frinatek, P.I: E. Reeves
Master projects
Ongoing Master projects (2022 -2023):
Siri Charlotte Haugerud Rognan
Plastic degrading potential of Arctic deep-sea hydrothermal microbiomes
Main supervisor: Runar Stokke
Co-Supervisors: Katharina Sass and Ida Helene Steen
Christiana Naana Sam
Recombinant expression and biochemical characterization of cysteine proteases from Arctic deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
Main supervisor: Ida Helene Steen
Co-Supervisors: Hasan Arsın, Victoria Røyseth, Runar Stokke and Anita-Elin Fedøy
Marte Leane Bleken Klemetsdal
Fauna of cold seeps in the Arctic
Main supervisor: Mari Heggernes Eilertsen
Co-supervisors: Jon A. Kongsrud (UMB), Giuliana Panieri (UiT/CAGE)
Marte Syvderud
Trophic ecology of hydrothermal vent fauna on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge
Main supervisor: Pedro Ribeiro
Co-supervisor: Furu Mienis (NIOZ)
Sofie Gjærlow
Characterisation of megabenthic community structure at the Fåvne hydrothermal vent field,and implications for environmental management of seabed mining
Main supervisor: Pedro Ribeiro
Co-supervisor: Steinar Sanni (UiS)
Haakon Arthur Pedersen (NTNU)
VentFish: Diversity and trophic ecology of fish at hydrothermal vents on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge
Main supervisor: Torkild bakken (NTNU)
Co-supervisors: Mari Heggernes Eilertsen, Nicolas Straube (UMB)
Fereshteh Hemmateenejad
Diversity, structure and environmental drivers of benthic epifaunal communities on Arctic cold seeps based on seafloor image analysis
ERASMUS+ Joint Master's Programme
Main supervisor: Alessandra Savini (U. Milano Bicocca)
Co-supervisors: Pedro Ribeiro (UiB), Giuliana Panieri (UiT), Luca Fallati (U. Milano Bicocca
People
Group manager
Ida Helene Steen Professor
Group members
Runar Stokke Forsker
Mari Heggernes Eilertsen Forsker
Pedro A. Ribeiro Forsker
Hasan Arsın Postdoktor
Petra Hribovšek Postdoktor
Anita-Elin Fedøy Senioringeniør
David John Rees Overingeniør
Tone Ulvatn Avdelingsingeniør
Trong Thuc Nguyen Ph.d.-kandidat
Brenda Lizbeth Esteban Vazquez Ph.d.-kandidat