We study the microbiota inhabiting environmental samples originated from different stages of the oil supply chain, such as oil reservoirs, wastewater treatment, biofilms formed in pipelines and equipment, and contamination plumes resulting from leakage in groundwater or surface spills, aiming to deepen knowledge on the biological processes responsible for oil degradation, as well as on methods to monitor, control or optimize biotechnological processes relevant to the oil industry. The composition, dynamics, distribution, and function of microbial communities in extreme environments have also been the focus of our research, with emphasis on the mechanisms of response to the stresses imposed by harsh environmental conditions, using Antarctica as a model. Moreover, cold-adapted microorganisms offer a huge arsenal of potential new compounds to be explored in pharmaceutical, agricultural, and biotechnological sectors, and have already yielded promising results in the studies carried out in GEMM labs.

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