The seminar on methanotrophic organisms and their ecological role was given by Magdalena Wutkowska, postdoctoral researcher at the Biology Centre CAS of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Czech Republic). Magdalena presented her research topic on methanotrophs, nitrifiers and their interactions. With environmental samples from methane-producing environments she performs studies resembling ongoing and future climate changes and evaluates them with different molecular tools. She also presented other works that she is developing on the enrichment and isolation of methane-oxidizing bacteria.
On the other hand, Professor Sudesh Rathilal from the Durban University of Technology in South Africa presented his current lines of research in wastewater treatment and technologies that attempt to remove emerging contaminants. Among the projects in which Professor Rathilal is working on is the application of anaerobic digestion with advanced oxidation processes to improve biogas production.
