Our research focuses on uncovering novel and environmentally relevant microbial metabolisms and microorganisms that drive key ecosystem processes in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. We are particularly interested in the microbial mechanisms underlying ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, carbon fluxes, and the transformation of reactive nitrogen species. Building on discoveries such as the identification of new metabolic pathways and microorganisms, our group investigates how microbial diversity and function shape ecosystem resilience and biogeochemical fluxes across soils, freshwater systems, and occasionally host-associated microbiomes. Our integrated research group employs a broad methodological spectrum—from the isolation and cultivation of previously uncultivated microorganisms to the application of state-of-the-art tools in environmental and molecular microbiology, including (meta)genomics, (meta)transcriptomics, amplicon sequencing, bioinformatics, and stable isotope-based tracing and rate measurements. Complementary analytical techniques such as HPLC, IC, and GC support our biochemical investigations. Together, these approaches enable us to link microbial identity, physiology, and ecosystem function, providing fundamental insights into how microbial life sustains and transforms the environment.