Dr. Elisse Magnuson
Elisse Magnuson is a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph. She holds a PhD in Microbiology from McGill University and a Masters of Applied Chemistry from the University of Toronto. Her work to date has focused on characterizing microbial activity in extreme environments of the Canadian high Arctic in order to understand the limits of life on Earth and beyond.
Microbial diversity and activity in a Martian analogue: clues to extraterrestrial life
Join us for a WCMR series as Dr Elisse Magnuson, University of Guelph, shares her research.
Wednesday, December 16, 2026
1:30-3:00 pm
DC 1302
Abstract:
Life as we know it depends on liquid water. Recent evidence indicates that not only did ancient Mars once have a vast network of surface waters, but that liquid water potentially could persist in the Martian subsurface to this day. Study of analogue environments, or environments with environmental conditions similar to those on ancient or extant Mars, provides insights into the potential life forms that could exist in on Mars and other worlds. Lost Hammer Spring, located on Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian high Arctic, is one of the coldest and saltiest terrestrial springs discovered to date, the coldest known terrestrial methane seep, and a close analogue of putative Martian waters. It perennially discharges anoxic (<1 ppm dissolved oxygen), sub-zero (~−5 °C), and hypersaline (~24% salinity) brines from the subsurface through up to 600 m of permafrost. Using a multi-omics approach utilizing metagenome, metatranscriptome, and single-amplified genome sequencing, we revealed an active microbial community in the spring sediments utilizing primarily inorganic compounds (hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide) as energy and carbon sources, driven inpart by sulfide-oxidizing bacteriascavenging trace oxygen. These results demonstrated Mars-relevant metabolisms including sulfide oxidation, sulfate reduction, anaerobic oxidation of methane, and oxidation of trace gases (hydrogen, carbon monoxide) detected under anoxic, hypersaline, and sub-zero ambient conditions, providing evidence that similar extant microbial life could potentially survive in similar habitats on Mars.