The Omics Lab is currently equipped with all facilities to carry out DNA extractions, polymerase chain reactions (PCR) and gel electrophoresis. Current research includes the biodiversity and functions of cryophilic microbiomes with the focus on snow and ice algal communities.
The main equipment consists of a low temperature chamber and a real-time thermal PCR Cycler. The environmental chamber (Percival LT-36VL) allows to perform incubation at set chosen environmental parameters, or following …

In this lab the soil physical and thermal properties of undisturbed and artificial samples (i.e. porosity, thermal and hydraulic conductivity) are analyzed. The applications comprise calibration, testing and quality control of meteorological and soil physical sensors for polar environments in long-term observations. The work done here serves as experimental bridge between field observations and numerical modelling; testing and unravelling complex physical processes.