Susan Foß
Address
Susan Foß
PhD student
Department Environmental Microbiology
Helmholtz-Centre
for Environmental Research - UFZ
Permoserstr. 15
04318 Leipzig, Germany
Phone: +49 341 235 1365
Fax: +49 341 235 1351
susan.foss@ufz.de
CV / Scientific Career
since 06/2010
PhD student
Fellowship Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)
Subject: "The Influence of Fungal Networks on the Bioavailability and Degradation of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants in Soil"
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Hauke Harms, Dr. Lukas Wick
2004 - 2009
Diploma in Biochemistry
University of Leipzig
Research interests
In the vadose or unsaturated zone, bioavailability of hydrophibic organic contaminants (HOC) is low due to their tendency to sorb onto soil organic matter. Hence, bacteria have only limited access to the pollutants and potential biodegradation is hindered. I am focussing on the question how contaminant bioavailability in the vadose zone may be increased deliberately by the help of fungal networks. This idea was motivated by the current finding that fungal hyphae can provide vectors for the dispersal of bacteria ('fungal highways') and the translocation of hydrophobic organic contaminants ('funghal pipelines') in soil.
An emphasis is put on the work with bacterial biosensors to investigate the effect of fungal networks on HOC-bioavailability in water unsaturated environments.
