This image displays a marine bacteria growing in seawater. We’re studying the growth and ecological impact of these bacteria, and this image displays a single bacterium in the process of cell division.  

Bacteria in the ocean decompose and recycle organic matters such as carbon. Microbial communities account for 70% of marine total biomass and bacterial activities set the level of oceanic carbon pools and contribute to carbon cycling on our planet. However, surprisingly little is known about how fast individual bacteria grow in the ocean.

We have adapted a single-cell mass sensor that was previously used in cancer research to be used for bacteria growth studies. This novel instrumentation allows us to provide precise measurements of bacterial growth in the ocean and understand better how they respond to environmental changes and climatic events.