I am an isotope geochemist working at the interface of geology, chemistry, and biology. My research focuses on how carbon moves through hydrothermal systems and how microbial life interacts with geochemical processes in these environments. During my PhD at MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (University of Bremen), I combined lipid biomarkers with compound-specific isotope analyses (δ¹³C, Δ¹⁴C, δ²H) to trace the origin and fate of carbon in shallow and deeper hydrothermal settings.

I am particularly interested in how “ancient” carbon from the Earth’s interior becomes incorporated into modern ecosystems, and how microbial activity influences mineral formation and biogeochemical cycling. My work includes field sampling, laboratory-based organic geochemistry, and isotope analysis to better understand these complex systems.

More broadly, I am fascinated by how small-scale molecular signals can reveal large-scale connections between the deep Earth and life in the ocean—and what this can tell us about extreme environments on our own planet and beyond.