معرفی
Dr. Stephanie A. Eichorst is a Senior Scientist at the University of Vienna's Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, specifically within the Division of Microbial Ecology (DOME). She joined the University of Vienna in 2012 after completing her PhD at Michigan State University, followed by postdoctoral work at Los Alamos National Lab and research at the Joint BioEnergy Institute in the USA.
Her research program centers on the physiology of soil microorganisms, with particular emphasis on members of the Acidobacteriota phylum. This ubiquitous bacterial phylum comprises astonishing diversity across soils worldwide, yet its functions remain largely unknown due to limited cultivated representatives. Dr. Eichorst's work seeks to elucidate the ecophysiology of Acidobacteriota to understand their success and ubiquity in soil environments. Her research employs a multidisciplinary approach combining genomics, transcriptomics, growth-based experiments, enzyme kinetics, and molecular analyses.
Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on microbial survival mechanisms under energy limitation, particularly atmospheric gas oxidation (including H2) and the role of different terminal oxidases in soil microbes. Her work demonstrates how these physiological capabilities explain the success of Acidobacteriota in heterogeneous soil environments. She has also pioneered single-cell method development for exploring soil microbial activity using techniques like FISH, NanoSIMS, and Raman microspectroscopy combined with stable isotope tracers.
Dr. Eichorst leads active research projects including 'Faktoren, die mikrobielle terminale Oxidasen beeinflussen' (2025-2028), demonstrating her continued leadership in the field. Her work contributes to understanding soil microbial communities that play crucial roles in biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem functioning.
