Missions

The main objective of this postdoctoral research is : i) to identify the microbial population shift during enrichments, using genomic approaches, likely to develop in an environment more or less comparable to H2 storage conditions, in anoxia and in contact with high levels of H2, we will be interested in targeting both taxonomic markers and metabolic activity markers (such as hydrogenase or sulfate-reducing activities) ; ii) to evaluate the rate of H2 consumption by this consortia. Such project would supply fundamental data of microbial hydrogen consumption rates and help to identify potential sites for H2 storage.

Activités

- Literature review, establishment/modification of experimental protocols, reporting of art analyses and experimental data in the form of reports and publications;

- Conventional culture of microorganisms in aerobic and anoxic broth in a controlled atmosphere chamber (Jacomex-type glove box);
- Analytical monitoring of physicochemical indicators (FeII, sulfides, sulfate, organic acids, optical density) and microbial indicators (direct enumeration under epifluorescence, etc.);
- Analysis and monitoring of bacterial diversity (DNA extraction, bioinformatic analyses from data from an external platform);
- Enrichment of hydrogenotrophic populations in specific media.

Compétences

The candidate must have expertise in microbial ecology and a basic understanding of molecular microbiology (used for characterizing microbial populations) and basic chemistry. Knowledge of anaerobic cultures and geosciences will be an asset, as will knowledge of respiratory anaerobic metabolism.

Contexte de travail

The research project is conducted by two teams belonging to two CNRS units:
- LCPME, UMR 7564 CNRS-UL, located in Vandoeuvre-Brabois and Villers-lès-Nancy, Environmental Microbiology team.
- Georesssources UMR 7359, located in Vandoeuvre-Brabois and Vandoeuvre-Aiguillettes, Geosciences and Modeling team.
The Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Microbiology for Materials and the Environment (LCPME) is a multidisciplinary unit whose research focuses on the study of mineral and biological interfaces in aqueous environments. The main objective is to better understand the reactivity of solid surfaces (mineral phases, organo-mineral hybrids, nanomaterials, or biological objects) in contact with aqueous environments, with the aim of taking into account the structural and reactive heterogeneities of the systems studied at different spatial scales, and with potential applications in the fields of environment and materials science. The unit combines disciplines from physical chemistry (spectroscopy and electrochemistry) and microbiology (microbial interfaces and microorganism adhesion).
GeoRessources is a geosciences research laboratory, jointly supervised by the University of Lorraine and the CNRS-INSU (National Center for Earth Sciences and Astronomy). GeoRessources addresses the societal and industrial challenges of the responsible use of our subsoil resources.
The energy transition is central to the work carried out by the laboratory's research teams. GeoRessources is currently studying:
- strategic metals essential for the development of low-carbon technologies,
- the use of the subsoil for storage (carbon, radioactive waste, etc.),
- the exploitation of new energy sources (geothermal energy, natural hydrogen, helium),
- and the development of new, more efficient recycling processes. This research mobilizes, at the laboratory level, multidisciplinary scientific skills in geomechanics, geosciences, chemistry, mathematics, and computer science. GeoRessources also draws on a wide range of other expertise—sociology, geography, history, economics, and law—implemented within structuring projects at the local, national, and international levels.
The recruited individual will be required to travel between the GeoRessources and LCPME units for specific activities (microbiology at LCPME, incubation and monitoring of H2 consumption in a medium-pressure reactor at GeoRessources).
The work will be co-directed by Professors Fabrice GOLFIER and Frédéric JORAND and will be carried out in collaboration with Dr. Aurélien RANDI, PhD (Georessources), an engineer, and Dr. Frédérique CHANGEY (LCPME), a lecturer specializing in microbial ecology/molecular biology.

Contraintes et risques

Microbiological risks are the risks associated with the handling of category 1 microbial species, therefore without identified hazard, as well as risks associated with the handling of neutral or reactive gas (H2) in a secure environment and under the direct control of authorized persons.