Katja Laufer-Meiser

Dr. Katja Laufer-Meiser is a Research Fellow in Geomicrobiology at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany, affiliated with Research Division 2: Marine Biogeochemistry and Research Unit: Marine Geosystems. Her academic journey includes:

• Ph.D. in Geosciences from Eberhard Karls University Tübingen (2013-2016)
• M.Sc. in Biological Oceanography from GEOMAR/University of Kiel (2010-2012)
• B.Sc. in Biology from Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel (2007-2010)

Her research explores microbial control of elemental cycles in marine sediments, with emphasis on iron-sulfur interactions in Arctic fjords and hydrothermal systems. She combines geochemical analyses, microbial culturing, rate measurements, and molecular techniques to investigate:

• Biogeochemical iron cycling under glacial influence
• Microbial mineral transformations at hydrothermal vents
• Climate-sensitive coupling of benthic-pelagic processes
• Redox-sensitive element cycling in polar sediments

Her publications demonstrate strong focus on polar biogeochemistry (70%), hydrothermal vent microbiology (20%), and methodological advances in sediment analysis (10%). Recent work shows increasing emphasis on climate change impacts on Arctic iron cycling and glacial meltwater effects on trace metal fluxes.

Awards and grants include:

• DFG Individual Research Grant (2022-2025)
• FEMS Meeting Grant (2018)
• DFG Research Fellowship (2018-2019)
• AWIPEV Arctic Base Access Grant (2017)
• Goldschmidt Best Poster Award (2015)

She leads field expeditions to Arctic sites (Svalbard, Greenland) and participates in oceanographic cruises (RV Polarstern, RV Sonne). As convener of Goldschmidt 2019 sessions and IASC workshops, she coordinates research on glacial-marine ecosystems. She serves as reviewer for 15+ journals including Nature Communications and ISME Journal.