Project Info
Rock Powered Life
John Spear | jspear@mines.edu
We are trying to understand the microbial life that lives within serpentinite rock in the subsurface of Oman. Groundwater reacts with peridotite making molecular hydrogen, and microbes in the subsurface then use that hydrogen as an electron donor to power themselves. We have a lot of rock core to process for DNA / RNA extraction, etc.
More Information
https://www.colorado.edu/lab/rockpoweredlife/
Grand Engineering Challenge: Develop carbon sequestration methods
Student Preparation
Qualifications
Willing to work.
Good potential for ‘lab hands.’
Interest in microbiology and geology.
Time Commitment
30-40 hours/month
Skills/Techniques Gained
Microscopy with bright field, epifluorescent and scanning electron microscopy.
DNA / RNA extraction
PCR and qPCR
DNA sequence data interpretation and some bioinformatics
Mentoring Plan
Undergraduate will work primarily with a PhD candidate graduate student, a postdoc and myself. Constant hands-on learning will be the dominant theme. Frequent meeting, laboratory discussions, lab group meetings with presentations by the undergraduate are normal.