Spotlight on nitrification research at DOME

A series of articles on the Rudolphina research news platform highlights the efforts and achievements of DOME members in nitrification research. A feature on the nitrification research groups of Petra Pjevac, Holger Daims and Michael Wagner summarises the research interests of the scientists and highlights their collaboration. In 2015, Holger Daims and Michael Wagner discovered complete ammonia oxidisers (comammox bacteria), overturning a paradigm in microbiological research. Petra Pjevac is leading the playNICE project, which is investigating biological nitrification inhibitors with the aim of reducing nitrogen losses in agricultural fertilisation and thus increasing fertilisation efficiency. Daniel Loy, a Master's student in Michael Wagner's group, shares his fascination with microbiology in a blog post. Another report highlights Dimitra Sakoula's search for marine complete ammonia-oxidising microorganisms (comammox), a research project funded by the Austrian Science Fund's (FWF) 1,000 Ideas programme. Her project, "MarCo", aims to open up new frontiers in the search for novel comammox in the ocean, using new methods developed in collaboration with the teams of Michael Wagner and Holger Daims.

This semester, the University of Vienna's communication focuses on planetary health. Under the title "Planet and People: Can we still be saved?" [in German], numerous events and reports explore how the health of humans and our ecosystems, including all the organisms that live there, are connected. For example, a panel discussion in the “Umwelt im Gespräch” talk series, including Petra Pjevac, will focus on agriculture and the health of the planet. The event will take place in German on Tuesday, May 30, at 19:00 at the Natural History Museum. Registration is possible here.