Roxana Shafiee

I am part of the APPELS (A Probe of Period Elements for Life in the Sea) research group led by Professor Rosalind Rickaby, which exploits the nexus of proteomics, metallomics and microbiology to elucidate the metal requirements of phytoplankton (the ‘marine metalloproteome’). I am particularly interested in creating a comprehensive definition of the trace metal requirements of microorganisms, both aerobic and anaerobic, which are responsible for the cycling of nitrogen (a bioessential nutrient) between the ocean and atmosphere.  Armed with this information, I aim develop an understanding of how the bioavailability of trace metals in the marine environment over geologic time has modulated global N-cycling, primary productivity and environmental conditions.