Interdisciplinary research on carbon biogeochemistry

The Organo-Mineral Group (OMG) investigates biogeochemical processes governing the Earth System through a combination of organic geochemical and mineralogical approaches across deep ocean, terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments. The tools we use are inherently multidisciplinary, such as amino acid geochemistry and radiocarbon geochemistry. Amino acids are the universal building blocks for all life on Earth. They are in the foods we eat, in the proteins of our bodies, they are even present in extraterrestrial environments resulting from abiotic formation. Life on Earth is homochiral with amino acids racemizing over both geologic and over human timescales. Aging tissues contain increasing abundances of D-amino acids. Furthermore, amino acids contain isotopic information resulting from environmental and metabolic processes including in the carbon isotope of radiocarbon. Radiocarbon is a cosmogenic nuclide produced in the atmosphere that propagates through the biosphere and into the geosphere. Radiocarbon offers a tool for understanding carbon cycling processes ranging from molecular to global and provides radiometric age constraint in carbonaceous materials opening applications as varied as ranging from traditional dating in archeology to quantifying petrochemical versus sustainably sourced modern carbon in biofuels. With increasing anthropogenic perturbation of Earth’s carbon cycle, understanding the basic science behind the cycling of carbon and future approaches for geoengineering solutions, are more important than ever before.

 OMG aims to contribute to our understanding of the Earth System by:

• Studying the impact of climate change on the cycling of carbon across regional and global scales
• Investigating interactions between organic matter and minerals in modulating biogeochemical cycles ranging from the molecular to the mega scale both in the laboratory and in the natural environment
• Characterizing mineral reactivity in the environment through mineralogical investigations that seek to constrain how minerals and organic matter in the environment interact
• Developing new analytical geochemistry methods for studying biogeochemical processes and phenomena ranging from chemical weathering, biomineralization, environmental chirality, sedimentary export of carbon, preservation of life’s chemical fossils in the geosphere
• Innovating approaches harnessing isotopic tools, in particular natural abundance radiocarbon isotope geochemistry, for understanding the cycling of carbon
• Research novel interdisciplinary avenues including in food science, biological aging and medical science inspired through radiocarbon and molecular organic geochemistry
• Conduct cutting-edge research on carbon sequestration through paleo and modern environments and devising nature inspired approaches for amplifying carbon burial today

 The OMG is currently building up analytical facilities which will phase in operation over the course of 2026. We are seeking PhD candidates who have strong background, technical skills and motivation for pursuing interdisciplinary research on carbon biogeochemistry with a view towards amplifying carbon sequestration through nature-inspired approaches. Fully funded scholarships are available. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are welcome including Geosciences, Chemistry, Biology, Material Science and others. Master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred. Prospective PhD candidates are welcome to discuss their research visions with Assist. Prof. Thomas Blattmann. [email protected]

 If you are interested in applying, please contact Thomas Blattmann by January 15, 2026 with your CV and motivation statement. Formal application documents including your final research proposal will need to be submitted by January 31, 2026.