Our group is investigating bacterial spore viability in extreme environments. We currently focus on the following specific areas: (1) development of an endospore viability assay based on dipicolinic acid detection, (2) investigation of the microbial ecology of desert soils, permafrost, and Antarctic ice, (3) development of field-instrumentation for deployment in extreme environments. This works relates to NASA s strategic goals of investigating past or present habitable environment on Mars or other worlds by focusing on the boundary conditions for life in extreme environments on Earth. Deadline: Feb 1, 2009 http://fellowships.hq.nasa.gov/gsrp/research/detail.cfm?oppID=784

Source: [NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program (GSRP)]