ABSTRACT: Desert ecosystems represent some of the most extreme environments on earth. This lecture provides an overview of Professor Cowan’s research over the past decade on the microbial ecology of two contrasting desert systems: the cold deserts of the eastern Antarctic Dry Valleys and the hot desert of western Namibia.
BIOGRAPHY: Prof Donald Cowan, is director of the Genomics Research Institute and director of the Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics at UP. He has made significant international research contributions in the fields of microbial ecology, biodiversity and bioprospecting. This includes understanding the diversity and function of microorganisms in various environments. The research has positioned Cowan’s laboratory as one of the world’s leading groups in extremophile microbiology, functional metagenomics and modern molecular microbial ecology.
BACKGROUND ON NSTF: The NSTF Awards encourage and reward excellence in Scientific Research, Technological Innovation, Management and related activities, Capacity Building, Communication and Education thereby honouring and celebrating outstanding contributions to science, engineering, technology and innovation (SETI) since 1998, and in partnership with BHP Billiton since 2011.
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e-mail : reinhardtt2@ukzn.ac.za
Website : www.stec.ukzn.ac.za