Group members
Principle investigator
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Dr John W Moreau
John is a geomicrobiologist, geochemist and mineralogist interested in applying molecular, analytical and bioinformatic approaches to investigating how microorganisms influence the form and fate of metals in various environments: past and present, natural and anthropogenic, ambient and extreme. More recently, his research has focused on understanding the co-evolution of microbial genes encoding for cellular interactions with metal(loid)s, such as arsenic and mercury, with Earth's biogeochemical cycles. John is currently a Reader (equivalent junior full professor) in Geomicrobiology in the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences at the University of Glasgow. Prior to this, he held Lecturer to Associate Professor posts at The University of Melbourne from 2008-2019, where he founded the Environmental Microbiology Research Initiative and served as its inaugural Director. John obtained his Masters in Geology (mineralogy) from Arizona State University in 2001 (advisor: Tom Sharp) and his Ph.D in from the Department of Earth and Planetary Science (geomicrobiology) at the University of California-Berkeley in 2006 (advisor: Jillian Banfield). He worked as a U.S. Geological Survey National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wisconsin Water Science Center from 2006-2008 under the supervision of Dr. David Krabbenhoft (USGS) and Prof. Eric Roden (University of Wisconsin-Madison). In his free time, John trains for competitive (Masters) swimming, coaches junior swimmers (Scottish Swimming level 2 qualification) and plays guitar.
Email: john.moreau@gla.systa-s.com
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Current lab members
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Dr. Oliver Moore, NERC Research Associate
Oliver is investigating mercury methylation in peatlands and how this is impacted by climate change, with the aim of improving understanding of long-term contaminant cycling and informing land management strategies. This work is funded by a UKRI/NERC grant “What happens to a millennium of mercury contamination under climate change?”, with collaborators including the RSPB and USGS. He holds a PhD in Environmental Geochemistry and Geomicrobiology from the University of Manchester, and an MSc in Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Distinction) from Aberystwyth University.
Oliver has extensive experience working on metal(loid) mobilisation and nutrient cycling in a variety of environmental and engineered settings, across academia and industry. This includes acid mine drainage (MSc project), arsenic mobilisation in Southeast Asian groundwaters (PhD project), nitrogen cycling in Swedish agricultural soils (postdoctoral project at SLU Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), and wastewater treatment using activated sludge systems (R&D internship at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute). He has also worked as an ICP analyst in a commercial laboratory for two years.
In his spare time, Oliver goes hiking throughout the year and is a member of the Ramblers Association.
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Dr. Himani Taneja, BBSRC Research Associate
Himani is investigating the genomic and biochemical foundations of microbial mercury methylation under a grant from the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. She holds a PhD in Environmental Biotechnology from Canterbury Christ Church University and a Master’s degree in Industrial Biotechnology (distinction) from Liverpool John Moores University. Her undergraduate degrees in biology, chemistry and education (distinction) are from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University. In addition, Himani is a UK-qualified teacher, holding Qualified Teacher Status awarded by the Department for Education.
Before joining the Glasgow University Geomicrobiology Lab, Himani was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at LSTM where she investigated the molecular biochemistry of insecticide resistance in insect cell lines. She brings a multidisciplinary skill set including microbiology, biochemistry, molecular genetics and analytical chemistry. Outside the lab, Himani enjoys cooking, reading, travelling, and gardening.
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Ms. Ruo Chen, STFC Ph.D candidate
Ruo is investigating viruses in groundwater, specifically in basalt aquifers, focussing on virome characterization, viral morphotypes and virus participation in biogeochemical cycles. Her project is funded by the UKRI Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), under a planetary science and astrobiology Ph.D stipend award, and aims to gain insights into the potential astrovirological habitability of extraterrestrial rocky planets like Mars. Ruo completed her Master's degree at the University of Copenhagen, focusing on marine pelagic prokaryotes and viruses in the North Atlantic, in which she explored viral regulation of prokaryotic community composition and studied the effects from hydrostatic pressure on this process. In her free time, Ruo enjoys playing badminton.
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Lab alumni
- Dr. Heyu Lin (Ph.D, 2018 - 2022), The University of Melbourne, currently Research Fellow at the Centre for Microbiome Research, Queensland University of Technology
- Dr. Robert (Angus) Keillar (Ph.D, 2016 - 2024, part-time), The University of Melbourne, currently environmental consultant at GHD Melbourne
- Dr. Marcos Voutsinos (Ph.D, 2015-2022, part-time), The University of Melbourne; recently postdoctoral researcher at University of Queensland
- Dr. Farhad Shafiei (Ph.D, 2018-2022), The University of Melbourne; currently Senior Scientist at Gippsland Water (VIC, Australia)
- Dr. Mathew Watts, Research Fellow (2014-2018); currently Senior Scientist at the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (Melbourne, Australia)
- Dr. Hong Phuc Vu, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow (2011-2014); currently Senior Geochemist at Golder Associates (Melbourne, Australia)
- Dr. Susan Cumberland, CSIRO Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2012-2015); Lecturer at University of Leicester (UK)
- Dr. Toni Cox (Ph.D, 2017), The University of Melbourne; currently Science Curriculum Manager at Stile Education (Melbourne, Australia)
- Dr. Caitlin Gionfriddo (Ph.D, 2016), The University of Melbourne; currently ARC Research Fellow at Latrobe University (Wodonga, Australia)
- Dr. Yu-Chen Ling (Ph.D, 2016), The University of Melbourne; recently Research Fellow at Wood Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI)
- Dr. Katrin Hug (Ph.D, 2015), The University of Melbourne; recently Research Fellow at the Helmholtz Institute of Groundwater Ecology (GmbH)
- Dr. Andre Mu (Ph.D, 2015), The University of Melbourne; currently Senior Lecturer at Monash University (VIC, Australia)
- Mr. Liam Spurr (M.Sci, 2016), The University of Melbourne; currently Project Director (environmental consultant) at Jacobs (Darwin, Australia)
- Ms. Angelina Bosnjak (M.Phil, 2015), The University of Melbourne; recently Environmental Scientist at Kleinfelder (Melbourne, Australia)
- Mr. Dilip Kumar (M.Sci, 2017), The University of Melbourne; currently Specialist Biogeochemist at Rio Tinto Corp (Perth, Australia)
- Ms. Olivia Campbell (M.Sci, 2016), The University of Melbourne
- Dr. Emily Hepburn (M.Sci, 2011), The University of Melbourne; Principal Hydrogeologist at Stantec (Melbourne, Australia)
- Ms. Rebecca White (M.Sci, 2017), The University of Melbourne
- Mr. Lon Garrick (M.Sci, 2013), The University of Melbourne; currently Senior Resources Geologist at MMG Ltd. (Melbourne, Australia)
- Mr. Andrew Minard (M.Sci, 2011), The University of Melbourne; currently Hydrogeologist at Golder Assoc. (Melbourne, Australia)
- Ms. Gretchen Sites (M.Sci, 2010), The University of Melbourne; currently Contaminated Land Consultant at Jacobs (Melbourne, Australia)
- Ms. Jemelyn Baldisimo (M.Env., 2010), The University of Melbourne; currently Knauss Fellow, NOAA (Virginia, USA)
- Ms. Annie Durrant (B.Sci, Hons., 2010), The University of Melbourne; recently Sr. Environmental Scientist at GHD (Melbourne, AUS)
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