Melissa Grant and Oliver De Peyer are joint Heads of Astrobiology and are investigating the relationship of bacteria and space science.
Melissa Grant and Oliver de Peyer lead the High Altitude Bioprospecting team. The research is focussed on discovering microbes that inhabit the atmosphere, and in particular the stratosphere. The team develop remote robotic devices to sample the aero-microbiome. To date, the HAB team have taken their devices on two extended expeditions to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, USA and to Kilpisjarvi, Lapland, Finland. The team have identified over 80 microbes – both bacteria and fungi. The team have also exhibited their work at Birmingham Open Media in two exhibitions: ‘Fearless and Ingenious Companions’ and ‘Atmospheric Encounters’. The former was also part of the 2016 Digital Design Weekend at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.
You can read more about the HAB team’s exploits on www.h-a-b.net
