Plastics Degradation by Microbes

Current PhD candidate Zjardyn’s research spans several projects examining microbial interactions with plastics and freshwater ecosystems. One project focuses on isolating and characterizing microbes capable of degrading plastics, such as Rhodococcus spp. and Acinetobacter sp. In collaboration with the Rooney Lab, he is also investigating how microplastics influence freshwater biofilms across different experimental scales, from microcosms to mesocosms.

Current PhD candidate Eugenia's research focuses on petrochemical plastics biodegradation. Her goal is to engineer Pseudomonas putida strains capable of degrading polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics as well as utilize PET plastics for feedstock for the production of PHA bioplastic.