The Environmental Microbiology and Biosensor Laboratory
The Environmental Microbiology and Biosensor Laboratory at the Institute of Life Sciences is led by Prof. Shimshon Belkin (see condensed CV and list of publications), who has moved to the Hebrew University in 1996, following 10 years of environmental and applied microbiological research at the Desert Research Institute of the Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
Work in the Belkin group involves the two opposing roles played by microbes in their environment: on the one hand, some microorganisms are sources of disease and diverse nuisances; on the other hand, bacteria are also leading agents in the fight against pollution, and serve as major tools in diverse biotechnological applications.
We combine traditional microbial methodologies with modern molecular biology approaches towards the study of basic and applied issues in microbial ecology and environmental monitoring.
The Belkin group is a proud member of the Minerva Center for Bio-Hybrid Complex Systems and of the Hebrew University Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.
Green bacterial sensor fluorescence on a porous aluminum chip in response to the presence of diverse toxicants.
An antipersonnel landmine “map” generated by remote scanning of explosives-induced bacterial fluorescence in an experimental “minefield”. With A. Agranat and his team, Hebrew University.
Fluorescent bacterial bioreporter responses to the presence of different concentrations of a toxic compound.
Green bacterial sensor fluorescence on a porous aluminum chip in response to the presence of diverse toxicants.
