M (Milda) Pučetaitė, PhD

I have a background in Chemical Physics and my academic focus is on bridging the gap between cutting-edge analytical methodologies and their application in soil microbiology and microbial ecology. Specifically, I use vibrational - infrared and Raman – microspectroscopy approaches, but also take advantage of the large scale synchrotron facilities, where X-ray probes can provide additional information about elemental chemistry at down to nanometer scale.

My research is focused on studying metabolic processes of soil microbes, including their influence on terrestrial carbon and nutrient cycling, e.g., via organic matter decomposition or N fixation. With lack of currently available approaches for single-cell scale and real-time measurements, I have been developing new protocols for the use of advanced microspectroscopy, often in combination with microfluidic technology-based soil chips, for in situ monitoring of stable-isotope labelled nutrient substrate uptake for estimating microbial metabolic activity rates and tracing of secreted metabolites produced in response to biotic (e.g. microbial interactions) and abiotic (e.g. nutrient type and concentration, pollutants) environmental stimuli for better understanding of their role in both organismal and community functioning. I primarily work with laboratory-grown filamentous soil fungi, but generally have a broad interest in soil microbial ecology. For instance, we have beem examining the effects of increased intensity and frequency of freeze-thaw cycles on carbon cycling in Arctic biological soil crusts, with a particular emphasis on microbial fitness, recovery, and physiological traits. For both systems, better understanding of fundamental mechanisms behind microbial metabolic processes and responses will be crucial for pin-pointing key factors affecting their fitness and functioning under changing environmental conditions.