Mineral-Life

The high interdisciplinarity at IMPMC, gathering physicists, geologists and biologists makes it an ideal place to develop multi-scale projects at the Mineral/Life interface. The goal of the Axe Minéral-Vivant is to provide a workspace for interdisciplinary discussions and elaboration of new collaborative projects (including methodological developments) studying modern or past interactions between organic matter and minerals. This axis embraces both the formation of these Mineral/Life interfaces and the evolution of their biosignatures in the fossil record, through the exploration of a wide diversity of biogeochemical mechanisms, mineral phases and associated microorganisms/organic molecules (e.g., in modern environments or sedimentary deposits), using experimental and modeling strategies.

The potential applications of these projects cover the development of bioremediation strategies, material synthesis, environment (biogeochemical cycles, contribution of soil carbon sequestration to global warming, …), health (e.g., formation of bones, pathogenic mineral phases such as kidney stones, …), identification of (bio)paleomarkers, origins of life (prebiotic chemistry), patrimony (prevention of alteration upon microbial activity). IMPMC Platforms (Electron microscopy, Environmental chemistry, Biology, NanoSIMS, XRD, Spectroscopy) and Collections (Minérals UPMC et MNHN) are deeply involved in these projects.