Research Interests and Accomplishments

Dr. Orianna Bretschger is an Assistant Professor in the Electromicrobiology group within the Microbial and Environmental Genomics department at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), San Diego. Dr. Bretschger has extensive experience in electrochemistry, reactor engineering and analytical chemistry. She also has broad knowledge about microbial ecology, physiology, and electron transfer mechanisms.

Dr. Bretschger led the effort to physiologically characterize Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 cytochrome mutants, which resulted in the identification of genes that are involved with extracellular electron transfer in microbial fuel cells, iron(III)- and manganese(IV)-oxide reduction. She has also developed experimental strategies and specialized equipment for the analysis of biological catalysts. Her primary research interests surround the practical application of microbial fuel cells for wastewater treatment and bioremediation of heavy metals; and as tools for studying microbial physiology and energy transduction within microbial communities.

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