Contact

kim.milferstedt_at_inrae.fr

Research interest

Microbial ecology, photogranules, biofilms, microbial interactions, biotechnology

Research activities

My research focuses on linking the functional dynamics of microbial ecosystems to their spatial structure and development. The model system I use most commonly are lab-scale bioreactors containing oxygenic photogranules. In my research, I focus on understanding and leveraging the heterogeneity of oxygenic photogranules to optimize their biotechnological use. Granule size, morphology, and internal structure vary considerably within reactors and during the development of individual photogranules, yet these differences crucially affect performance. My work addresses how this complexity influences ecosystem function, aiming to turn heterogeneity into a design parameter for engineered microbial systems.

Learning from nature: fundamentals of photogranulation

I am interested in light and cyanobacterial communities drive photogranule function. We explore how light quality and distribution within reactors affect microbial composition and activity. We benefit from our cyanobacterial culture collection to test the roles of different cyanobacterial types in granulation, linking observed behavior with genomic potential.

Eco-engineering oxygenic photogranules

I develop photogranule-based consortia tailored for specific functions, such as methane oxidation or trace contaminant removal. We study the flexibility of the photogranule matrix and investigate cross-feeding interactions.

Conversion and biomass production in heterogeneous systems

We study the life cycle of photogranules in dynamic reactor conditions to identify optimal states for delivering targeted ecosystem services in biotechnology.

Coordinating collective effort to advance development of value chain

Beyond my direct research, I coordinate interdisciplinary efforts to valorize photogranular biomass. We focus on characterizing extracellular polymeric substances and pigments, identifying potential applications, and aligning with industrial partners.

CV

1997 – May 2002 Diplom Geoökologie (Environmental System Sciences) at University of Bayreuth, Germany
2000 – 2001 MSc. thesis research at Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark 
2002 – 2007 PhD in Environmental Engineering and Science at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), USA, advisor Eberhard Morgenroth
2007 – 2009 Postdoctoral research in the Department of Microbiology at UIUC, USA, advisor Rachel Whitaker
2009 – June 2011 Postdoctoral research at INRA Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l'Environnement (LBE), Narbonne, advisors Nicolas Bernet, Renaud Escudié and Jean-Jacques Godon
2011 – 2023 Research Scientist at INRAE LBE, Narbonne
February 2023  HDR at Ecole doctorale Number 584 Gaïa
2023 – present Research Director at INRAE LBE, Narbonne

Recent publications

https://cv.hal.science/kimmilferstedt
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kim-Milferstedt
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=c4DEHrcAAAAJ