Prof. Chris Greening from the Department of Microbiology at Monash University (Australia) visited us the 2nd of July 2025 and delivered a truly inspiring talk entitled “Microbial Oxidation of Atmospheric Trace Gases: From Discovery to Application”. Chris presented the pioneering work he has done with his group over the years of interdisciplinary research, demonstrating that diverse microbes live by harvesting small amounts of hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the air using high-affinity enzymes (i.e. using aerotrophy). These findings have rewritten the concept of dormancy.
Chris has been leading a diverse team at Monash University since 2016 seeking to understand the interactions between microbes and climate change. Among his distinctions, he has received multiple fellowships, published over 130 publications, and was awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize for Life Scientist of the Year in 2023. A highly collaborative researcher, he has partnered with over 100 laboratories worldwide, as well as large-scale intervention programs and diverse industrial organizations.
It was a pleasure to host Chris and thanks a lot for coming! The talk amazed many from the audience and we are looking forward to the next remarkable achievements!