New Researcher in the Coates Lab

By Karyn Houston
Plant & Microbial Biology

Gavin Collins, professor from the National University at Ireland Galway and leader of a seven-university consortium at the University Glasgow, is here to conduct research in John Coates’ Lab in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology.

Collins’ research focuses on understanding the ecology and ecophysiology of complex microbial communities used in environmental biotechnologies. He is “especially interested in methanogenic communities underpinning waste-to energy technologies, such as anaerobic digesters,” Collins said. He seeks to determine the stability and optimize the rate of methane production.

“My research at UC Berkeley is investigating the usefulness of chemicals that could be used to enhance oil recovery processes by inhibiting nuisance bacterial population,” Collins said. 

Collins has been following John Coates’ research for several years and will now be working with the team as a Fulbright Scholar, sponsored by the United States State Department and the Fulbright Commission in Ireland. Collins will also be giving a PMB Local Talent Seminar on the microbiology and ecophysiology of low-temperature anaerobic biological treatment of wastewater on 11.24.14.