Materials and Environment
Dept. of Earth Sciences & Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin

 

Research Interests

• Geomicrobiology & microbial ecology of rock biofilms
• Microbial weathering & soil formation
• Subaerial biofilm models on (geo)materials
• Genomics of rock-inhhabiting fungi

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Academic training

2006

Habilitation in Microbiology (Oldenburg University, Germany)

1992-1997

Dr. rer.nat. in Mycology (Komarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia)

1985-1991

Diplom in Biology / Biophysics (Universität St. Petersburg, Russia)

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Professional experience

Since 4/2009

Full Professor (W3), Freie Universität Berlin & Head of Department IV “Materials and Environment”, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin

2007-2009

Researcher, University of Geneva, Switzerland

2000-2007

Assistant Researcher, Geomicrobiology, Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Oldenburg University

1998-1999

Postdoctoral Fellow, Geomicrobiology, ICBM, Oldenburg

1992-1997

Joint PhD program between Komarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), St. Petersburg, Russia and ICBM, Oldenburg, Germany

1991-1998

Junior Researcher, Biological Research Institute, St. Petersburg State University

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Awards & Nominations

2008

Feodor-Lynen-Fellowship (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation)

2001

DFG Research Fellowship

2001

Nominated and elected member of the International Board of ISEB (International Symposia on Environmental Biogeochemistry)

2001

Dorothea Erxleben Scholarship (6 years Research Assistant position)

1992

St. Petersburg Natural History Society scholarship for graduate studies abroad

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Cooperation/consultancy in national & international committees

Reviewer for various funding organizations: Israel NSF, National Environmental Research
Council of Canada, Austrian Science Foundation FWF

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Editorial activities

Guest Editor (2003) and Associate Editor of Geomicrobiology Journal (since 2007)
Reviewer for 14 ISI-listed journals

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Selected international invited presentations

AGS Annual Conference (2001), ISEB (2003); Geomycology, Uppsala (2008); Geochemistry of the Earth Surface 8 (2008); Goldschmidt Conference (2009), Gordon Research Conference on Geobiology (2011)

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10 Selected peer-reviewed publications – no. of citations (06/2012) in parentheses

1. Toepfer, I., Favet J.. Schulte A., Schmölling M., Butte W., Triplett E. W., Broughton W.J., Gorbushina A.A.. (2012) Pathogens as potential hitchhikers on intercontinental dust Aerobiologi, 28:221-231.

2. Gorbushina, A.A., Kempe, A., Rodenacker, K., Jutting, U., Stark, R.W., Heckl, W.M., Krumbein, W.E. (2011). Quantitative 3-dimensional Image Analysis of Mineral Surface Modifications - Chemical, Mechanical and Biological. Geomicrobiology Journal. 28: 172-184.

3. Gorbushina, AA, Broughton, WJ (2009) Microbiology of the atmosphere-rock interface (how biological interactions and physical stresses regulate a sophisticated microbial system. Annual Reviews of Microbiology, Volume 63: 431-450. (20)

4. Brehm, U, Gorbushina, AA, Motterhead, D (2005) The role of microorganisms and biofilms in the breakdown and dissolution of quartz and glass. Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology 219: 117-129. (29)

5. Gorbushina, AA, Heyrman, J, Dornieden, Th, Gonzalez-Delvalle, M, Krumbein, WE, Laiz, L, Petersen, K, Saiz-Jimenez, C, Swings, J (2004) Bacterial and fungal diversity and biodeterioration problems in mural painting environments of St. Martins church (Greene–Kreiensen, Germany). International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation 53: 13-24. (31)

6. Gorbushina, AA (2003) Microcolonial fungi: survival potential of terrestrial vegetative structures. Astrobiology 3: 543-554. (24)

7. Gorbushina, AA, Krumbein, WE and Volkmann, M (2002) Rock surfaces as life indicators: new ways to demonstrate life and traces of former life. Astrobiology 2: 203-213. (28)

8. Moehlenhoff, P, Gorbushina, AA, Petersen, K and Müller, L (2001) Molecular approaches to fungal communities characterisation: methods for DNA extraction, PCR amplification and DGGE analysis of mural paintings materials. FEMS Microbiology Letters 195: 169-173. (38)

9. Gorbushina, AA, Boettcher, M, Brumsack, H-J, Krumbein, WE, Vendrell-Saz, M (2001) Biogenic Forsterite and Opal as a Product of Biodeterioration and Lichen Stromatolite Formation in Table Mountain Systems (Tepuis) of Venezuela. Geomicrobiology Journal 18: 117-132. (22)

10. Gorbushina, AA, Krumbein, WE, Hamann, CH, Panina, L, Soukharjevski, S and Wollenzien, U (1993) On the role of black fungi in colour change and biodeterioration of antique marbles. Geomicrobiology Journal 11, 205-221. (88)

 

 

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