McGill University
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Lyle Whyte
Charles Greer, National Research Council Canada
Start: 2019-01-01

Project

Genomic characterization of the hydrocarbon biodegradation process on a Canadian Arctic beach for the development of bioremediation strategies
An increase in shipping traffic along the Northwest Passage comes with the imminent danger of a fuel spill. This poses risks for the ecosystem and nearby communities. Determining the hydrocarbon degradation capacity of native microbial communities is key for the design of efficient clean up methods for Arctic beaches. My research will aim to determine what are the microbial communities inhabiting Northwest Passage beaches, the ability of the microorganisms to degrade hydrocarbons under various remediation treatments, and the molecular pathways that are used to metabolize fuels. We will carry out a controlled fuel spill on an Arctic beach and observe the response of the microorganisms using state-of-the-art molecular biology methods.

Keywords

Bioremediation, Hydrocarbon contamination, microbial ecology, bioinformatics

Publications

1- Toxic metals and associated sporulated bacteria on Andean hummingbird feathers
Góngora, Esteban, Carlos Daniel Cadena, Jenny Dussán
2016 Environmental Science and Pollution Research

2- Nitrogen and sulfur isotopes predict variation in mercury levels in Arctic seabird prey
Góngora, Esteban, Birgit M. Braune, Kyle H. Elliott
2018 Marine Pollution Bulletin

3- Gut microbiome is affected by inter-sexual and inter-seasonal variation in diet for thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia)
Góngora, Esteban, Kyle H. Elliott, Lyle Whyte
2021 Scientific Reports

4- Arctic Change 2020 Abstracts (continued)

2021 Arctic Science