Ilya Bobrovskiy

Dr. Ilya Bobrovskiy is a Research Fellow in the Organic Geochemistry section at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. His work focuses on the emergence of complex life and Earth's early ecosystems through interdisciplinary approaches combining organic geochemistry, isotope geochemistry, and paleontology. He holds a PhD in Geobiology from the Australian National University and has conducted postdoctoral research at Caltech before joining GFZ in 2022 as a Branco Weiss Fellow. His 2024 ERC Starting Grant supports research into ancient carbon cycle dynamics and the rise of complex life.

Education: MSc in Sedimentary Geology (Lomonosov Moscow State University, 2014), PhD in Geobiology (Australian National University, 2019).

Research Interests: Proterozoic-Paleozoic environmental changes, Ediacaran biota, biomarker analysis, and evolutionary transitions. His projects investigate ecological interactions and geochemical signals preserved in sedimentary rocks to reconstruct early Earth systems.

Scientific Awards: ERC Starting Grant (2024), Branco Weiss Fellowship (2022–present).

Labs/Teams: Leads the ERC-funded project 'Tracking Life's Origins' within GFZ's Organic Geochemistry group, focusing on biomarker analysis and fieldwork in critical geological formations.