Nagissa Mahmoudi

Nagissa Mahmoudi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences at McGill University, with affiliate memberships at the McGill Space Institute and McGill School of Environment. Her research bridges geomicrobiology, biogeochemistry, and environmental science, focusing on carbon cycling processes in diverse ecosystems from marine sediments to peatlands.

Her research investigates microbial processes governing organic matter transformation across environmental gradients, with particular emphasis on:

• Carbon cycling mechanisms in extreme and ancient environments
• Microbial community responses to climate change
• Biogeochemical interactions at sediment-water interfaces
• Organic matter preservation and degradation pathways

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on microbial mediation of elemental cycles, particularly carbon and nitrogen, across diverse temporal and spatial scales. Her work frequently employs isotopic techniques, experimental microbiology, and geochemical analyses to examine processes from early Earth analogs to contemporary climate-impacted systems.

She leads a research group studying microbial processes in coastal and marine environments using interdisciplinary approaches combining field observations, laboratory experiments, and analytical geochemistry.