The Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI), established in Bremen in 1992, is an institute of the Max Planck Society, an independent research organization funded by the German federal government. The MPI carries out basic research on marine microorganisms and on the function of element cycles in the ocean.

The MPI has broad experience in studies of marine sediments in diverse oceanic regions, ranging from the high Arctic to the tropics and from coastal waters to the deep sea. Scientists from the MPI have played an active role in scientific drilling research (ODP/IODP) over the past 7 years. Research themes include the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, iron and manganese in marine sediments and the physiology of bacteria and archaea carrying out these key processes.

The involvement of the MPI, often as coordinating partner, in many previous and recently EU-funded projects and networks such as Deep-BUG, METROL, Marine Genomics, MARBEF, HERMES, EXOCET, GRASP underlines its contribution to European research and excellence. Although it is mainly a research institute, it contributes significantly to international education on pre- and postgraduate level (e.g. through the International Max Planck Research School MarMic).

Profile of staff member

Dr. Timothy Ferdelman leads the Biogeochemistry Research Group at the MPI. His research focus has been on the microbially mediated cycling of carbon, sulphur and associated elements in marine sediments. He has been active in the area of sub-seafloor life research within ODP/IODP including participation on two IODP/ODP expeditions (once as co-chief scientist on IODP Exp 307), Meteor/MeBo sub-seafloor drilling, scientific drilling site surveys in the ultra-oligotrophic South Pacific gyre and in the Atlantic (North Pond), as a member of the IODP Task Force on Sampling Sub-surface Life. In addition to EU-BONUS, Baltic Gas, he has been involved in several related EU projects including DeepBUG, METROL, and the RTN EU-GRASP.