Allyson Brady
Professor Faculty of Science Department of Biology Ottawa, Ontario AllysonBrady@cunet.carleton.ca
Media Relations
Bio/Research
Microorganisms are the backbone of ecosystems, driving biogeochemical cycling, and represent a wealth of unexplored biodiversity. Brady's research in microbial ecology aims to understand the interaction of biology and the Earth, with an emphasis on microbial environments with relevance to biotech...
Click to Expand >>
Click to Expand >>
Bio/Research
Microorganisms are the backbone of ecosystems, driving biogeochemical cycling, and represent a wealth of unexplored biodiversity. Brady's research in microbial ecology aims to understand the interaction of biology and the Earth, with an emphasis on microbial environments with relevance to biotechnology and astrobiology. Microbes are widely recognized as having the ability to remediate pollutants and have the potential to play a key role in addressing pressing environmental needs. Microbes also represent the earliest forms of life on Earth and may have once existed on other habitable planets. Identification of biosignatures, or unambiguous signs of life, is key to the study of early Earth and for future planetary missions.
Brady uses organic biomarkers (e.g. lipids) and natural abundance isotope analysis as tools to investigate microbial interactions, metabolism, and biodiversity in naturally occurring and human impacted extreme environments. Research outcomes enhance our understanding of fundamental ecosystem function, critical to developing innovative biotechnology applications, and inform astrobiology site selection through the characterization of associated biosignatures.
Click to Shrink <<
Brady uses organic biomarkers (e.g. lipids) and natural abundance isotope analysis as tools to investigate microbial interactions, metabolism, and biodiversity in naturally occurring and human impacted extreme environments. Research outcomes enhance our understanding of fundamental ecosystem function, critical to developing innovative biotechnology applications, and inform astrobiology site selection through the characterization of associated biosignatures.
Click to Shrink <<