MicroNEER Lab
Microbial and Nano-Enzymatic Environmental Remediation
University of California, Los Angeles
Research Mission
Our research interests lie in the area of microbial interactions with chemical contaminants and nanoparticles for applications ranging from ecotoxicology to biodegradation to disinfection.
We pursues research employing microbiological, molecular biological, and isotopic tools to
(a) characterize microbial communities in engineered and natural environments,
(b) optimize biological processes to improve the performance of wastewater treatment or bioremediation systems,
(c) explore production of biofuels from industrial wastewater,
(d) investigate mechanisms of transformation, toxicity, and trophic transfer of nanoparticles.
TED Talk
Bioremediation: How biology heals the earth naturally
Dr. Shaily Mahendra explains how we can use bioremediation – the earth’s natural process for restoring itself, to heal environmental degradation of the earth caused by humans and industry.