Earth Sciences Division Staff: Janet Jansson

Biographical Summary

The overarching aim of my research is to gain a better understanding of key functions carried out by microorganisms in complex microbial communities, such as those residing in soil, sediment and the human gut, by employing state-of-the-art and novel “omics” approaches. These tools are implemented with bioinformatics and statistics using super computing facilities to tackle increasingly large and complex meta-omic datasets. One specific research area that we are addressing in my group is to use omics to better understand the role of soil microorganisms in cycling of carbon and how these functions are perturbed in the face of a changing climate. For example, we are aiming to understand how changes in precipitation will impact the cycling of stored soil carbon in prairie soils and how a warming climate will impact microbial decomposition of carbon stored in permafrost. Another application of omics in my group is to explore high salt environments for novel enzymes for lignocellulose degradation for biofuel applications. We are also using multi-omics approaches to study the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on indigenous microbial communities in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, we have a major research focus on the human microbiome and are studying the impact of antibiotics, diet and disease on gut microbial community composition and function. Examples of our human microbiome research include use of omics to understand how the gut microbiota composition and function is impacted by resistant starch in the diet and by Crohn’s disease.

Education

• New Mexico State University  -  B.S. Biology & Soil Science, 1980
• Colorado State University  -  M.S. Soil Microbiology, 1983
• Michigan State University  -  Ph.D. Microbial Ecology, 1988
• Stockholm University  -  Postdoc. Biochemistry, 1991

Professional Experience

• 2007-present Senior Staff Scientist, Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA
  • 20% appointment at the Joint Genome Institute (JGI), LBNL
  • 20% appointment at the Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBEI), LBNL
• 2013-present Professor (adjunct), Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley
• 2003-present Professor (Chair) of Environmental Microbiology, SLU, Uppsala, Sweden
• 2006-2007 Vice Dean (25%), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala
• 2000-2002 Professor of Microbiology, Section for Natural Sciences, Södertörn University, Sweden
• 1998-1999 Associate Professor, Section for Natural Sciences, Södertörn University College
• 1996-1997 Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Stockholm University, Sweden

Current Research Support

• US Department of Energy, (phase I of II)Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment (NGEE). Goal: To determine the impact of climate change on permafrost thaw. 2012-2014. Wullschlager (PI),  Role, Co-PI.
• DOE,  Strategic Laboratory Directed Research and Development: Integrative mapping of soil heterogeneity at the microbial scale. 2013-2015. Brodie (PI), Role: Co-PI.
• Earth Microbiome Project (EMP) Sponsored by DOE & Industrial Partners (Illumina, Eppendorf, Boreal Genomics, MoBio Laboratories and Luca Technologies (www.earthmicrobe.org). 2011-2013.  Role: Co-PI, with Jack Gilbert (Argonne National Laboratory) and Rob Knight (UC Boulder).
• NSF, TerraGenome Research Coordination Network. Goal: To coordinate metagenome research with workshops and conferences. 2011-2013. Myrold (PI), Role: Co-PI.
• US Department of Energy, BER: “Meta-“omics” analysis of microbial carbon cycling responses to altered rainfall inputs in native prairie soils”. 2010-2012. Jansson PI, in collaboration with Ari Jumpponen & Charles Rice (KSU), Susannah Tringe (JGI) Robert Hettich & Nathan VerBerkmoes (ORNL). Project coordinator: David Myrold (OSU), Jansson budget: $200,000/yr
• NSF Research Coordination Network, TerraGenome-The Soil Metagenome Network. 2011-2015. Jansson, PI & liason with Earth Microbiome Project. Project coordinator: David Myrold (OSU). $500,000 total.
• Earth Microbiome Project (funded through Illumina, Eppendorf, MoBio, Argonne National Laboratory and University of Colorado, Boulder): Jansson, Steering committee member and PI in charge of soil projects for EMP, including sample collection, storage and processing.
• US Department of Energy, Strategic LDRD: “Fundamental research on biological carbon capture and soil carbon stabilization”. 2010-2012. Jansson PI, Project coordinator: Margaret Torn (LBNL). $250,000/yr
• British Petroleum (BP) Energy Biosciences Institute: Microbially Enhanced Hydrocarbon Recovery (MEHR)- Systems Biology Program. 2009 – 2019. Jansson Co-PI in charge of “omics” analyses: Project coordinators: Terry Hazen and John Coates. LBNL budget is $1,600,000/Yr
• BP- Gulf oil spill project: Use of “omics” to assess the impact of the Gulf oil spill on microbial community composition and function. 2010-2012. LBNL budget is approx. Jansson, Co-PI and coordinator of “omics” analyses. Project coordinator: Terry Hazen, LBNL. Approx.. $1,000,000/yr.
• US National Institute of Health: Metagenomic Analysis of the Structure and Function of the Human Gut Microbiota in Crohn's Disease. 2009-2011. Role, PI. Project coordinator: Claire Fraser-Liggett (Univ. of Maryland, USA). Jansson budget: $210,000/yr.
• General Mills: Impact of dietary carbohydrate on the gut microbiota composition and function. 2011. Jansson PI; Co-PI, Ronald Kraus (Children’s Hospital, Oakland). $275,000.
• DOE/ Joint Genome Institute (JGI) Community Sequencing Project: Metagenomics of permafrost soil – implications for climate change. 2010. Sequencing costs covered by JGI. Postdoc costs funded by visiting postdoc in Jansson lab (Finnish Academy of Science). Jansson, (Co-PI); PI, Mark Waldrop, USGS.
• DOE/Joint Genome Institute (JGI) Community Sequencing Project: Microbial Community structure and metabolic potential of chronically polluted marine sediments from cold regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. Sequencing costs covered by JGI. Jansson (Co-PI); PI, Hebe M. Dionisi, CENPAT-CONICET, Argentina.
• Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBEI) Microbial Communities. Jansson PI. 20% salary & Postdoc funded through JBEI. (approx. $250,000/yr).

Supervision

• Research Associate
  • Giancarlo Galindo
  • Shi Wang
• Supervision of post doctoral fellows
  • Jeff Kimbrel [2012-2014]
  • Neslihan Tas [2011-2012]
  • Maude David [2010-2012]
  • Regina Lamendella [2009-2011]
  • Olivia Mason [2009-2012]
  • Jenni Hultman [2010-2012]
  • Jacob Baelum [2010-2012]
  • Emmanuel Prestat [2011-2012]
  • Lasse Bergmark [2011]
  • Nicholas Ballor [2011-2012]
• Completed Ph.D. and M.S. (Lisc.) degrees under supervision of J.K. Jansson
  • Johan Dicksved (Ph.D.) 2008. Exploring the human intestinal microbiome in health and disease.
  • Maria Unell (Ph.D.) 2008. Physiological, genetic and proteomic characterization of Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus during growth on different phenolic substrates or temperatures.
  • Lotta Jäderlund (Ph.D.) 2008. Fates and impacts of the genetically modified palnt growth-promoting bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25.
  • Anna Edlund (Ph.D.) 2007. Microbial diversity in Baltic Sea sediments.
  • Ninwe Maraha (Ph.D.) 2007. Physiological status of bacteria used for environmental applications.
  • Cecilia Jernberg (Ph.D.) 2006. Use of microbiomics to study human impacts on complex microbial communities.
  • Veronica Artursson (Ph.D.) 2005. Bacterial-fungal interactions highlighted using microbiomics.
  • Karolina Westerberg (Ph.D.) 2004. 4-Chlorophenol biodegradation by Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus A6.
  • Ninwe Maraha (Lisc.) 2004. Studies of the physiological status of bacteria used for environmental applications.
  • Agneta Backman (Lisc.) 2004. Optimization of bacterial inoculants for environmental biotechnology applications.
  • Annika Unge (Ph.D.) 2000. Marker genes: Molecular tools for in situ monitoring of bacterial distribution and activity in environmental samples.
  • Annika Unge (Lisc.) 1998. Development of molecular marker systems for quantification of specific bacterial populations.
  • Annelie Elväng (Ph.D.) 1998. Quantitative monitoring of microorganisms in environmental samples using biomarkers.

Additional Mentoring Activities

• Yanhong Wang (Visiting Ph.D. Student, China)
• Elizabeth Holman (UC Berkeley graduate)
• Rachel Mackelprang (Co-supervisor/ Eddy Rubin Main supervisor) [2009-2011]
• Kent Li (UC Berkeley undergrad)
• Katie Amberg-Johnson (UC Berkeley undergrad)
• Shi Wang (visiting Master’s student, The Netherlands)
• Eric Bottos (visiting postdoc, New Zealand)

Conference Chair Positions

• Conference organizer for the 10^th Symposium on Bacterial Genetics and Ecology (BAGECO-10), with 320 participants. Uppsala, Sweden. 2009
• Vice-Chair of the Gordon Conference on Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Mount Holyoke, MA, 2011 (elected Chair for 2013)
• Elected Co-Chair of the ASM Beneficial Host-Microbe conference, San Francisco, CA, 2012.
• Session chair. Bacterial Genetics and Ecology. Corfu, Greece. May 29-June 2, 2011.
• Session Chair. Soil Metagenomics. Argonne International Workshop on Soil Metagenomics. Argonne, IL. October 4-7, 2010.
• Session chair. Bacterial Genetics and Ecology. Corfu, Greece. May 29-June 2, 2011.

Advisory Positions

• Adjunct Professor at the University of Copenhagen as part of the Center for Permafrost Research (CENPERM) http://cenperm.ku.dk
• LBNL- Earth Sciences Division Professional Staff Committee (from 2010)
• LBNL Professional staff committee (from 2011)
• LBNL Awards committee (from 2011)
• DOE-BER evaluation panel for Young Investigator Awards (2010)
• Nominated to participate in LBNL Emerging Leader Program (2011)
• Advisory panel in planning of DOE Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment (NGEE) in the arctic, including workshop in Alaska, October 2011.
• Advisory panel in ICiS Metagenomics workshop. Snowbird, Utah, July 19-23, 2011
• Advisory panel in NIH-HMP Brainstorming panel. Bethesda, MD. April 21, 2011.

Review panel for Argonne National Laboratory. September, 2011

Awards, Honors and Commissions of Trust

• Vice President of the International Society of Microbial Ecology (2012-2014)
• Member of the American Academy of Microbiology
• Vice Dean, Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, SLU, Sweden (2007)
• Member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, National Committee for Biology (2006-2007)
• Swedish representative for the International Union of Biological Sciences (2006-2007)
• Frequent invited evaluator and reviewer of research projects for the European Commission (2003-2007)
• Coordinator of EU project: “MAREP, Marker/reporter genes in Microbial Ecology” with 26 partners from 11 different countries (1997-1999)
• Coordinator of the Swedish Network of Excellence: Uppsala Microbiomics Center (2006-2007)
• Member of the Swedish Gene Technology Advisory Board (2000-2006)
• Conference organizer for the 10^th Symposium on Bacterial Genetics and Ecology (BAGECO-10), with 320 participants. Uppsala, Sweden. 2009

Scientific Journal Editorial Board Memberships (from 1999)

• Co-Editor-in-Chief of The ISME Journal (from 2009)
• Editor of FEMS Microbiology Ecology (1996-2004)
• Editorial Board of Applied and Environmental Microbiology (from 2005)
• Editorial Board of FEMS Microbiology Ecology (from 2006)
• Editorial Board of Environmental Microbiology (from 2006)
• Editorial Board of International Society of Microbial Ecology Journal (from 2007)
• Editorial Board of Current Opinion in Biotechnology (from 2011)