Wenjie Xiao

My research focuses on applications of molecular biomarker lipids and carbon isotopes to biogeochemical dynamics of aquatic systems.
As a postdoc in the HADAL center, I aim to 1) investigate the sources, transport, degradation and preservation of organic carbon in hadal trenches; 2) determine the composition and distribution of bacterial and archaeal tetraether lipids in hadal trenches, and evaluate their environmental implications and biological sources; and 3) explore the relationships among microbial lipidomics, microbial communities and environmental variables in hadal trenches.
This study will help to learn more about the biogeochemical processes of carbon in the deepest oceanic trenches, and expand our understanding of biomarkers in marine environments.