The Open University

Professional biography

Karen is a Professor of Geomicrobiology in the School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences at The Open University. She is the Director of AstrobiologyOU, a dynamic, interdisciplinary research group comprising academics, laboratory and support staff, and students. Our mission addresses the scientific, governance and ethical challenges of advancing astrobiology. Karen’s current research combines her expertise in microbiology and astrobiology to study microbial survival and habitability. She uses environmental simulation facilities and field sites on Earth to examine the limits of life and biosignature formation. Karen serves on multiple UK and international strategic panels, including the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection, the UK Planetary Protection Advisory Panel and the Space Exploration Advisory Committee.

2020 to present day: Professor in Geomicrobiology

2019 to present day: Director of AstrobiologyOU

2017 to 2020: Senior Lecturer in the School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem sciences

2014 to 2017: Independent Research Fellow/ University lecturer in the School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem sciences

2013: Maternity leave

2012: UK Space Agency Aurora Fellow (part-time)

2011: Maternity leave

2007 to 2012: Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Open University

2005 to 2007: Researcher, Rumen Microbiology Group, AgResearch, New Zealand

2001 to 2004: PhD in Microbiology, University of Otago, New Zealand. Title of thesis: ‘Life at the Extreme Limits: Adaptation to Extreme pH and Temperature’

Research interests

Current Key Funding:

PI on a UKSA International Bilateral Fund grant (£1.2m, funded 2023 - 2025) that aims to integrate microbiology and Bayesian statistics to develop a viable framework for assessing microbial contamination within cleanroom environments. The grant collaborates with Imperial College London and the Coventry University.

Co-I on an ESA Technology Transfer-funded project focused on developing the Double Walled Isolator qualification model for the Sample Receiving Facility for the ESA-NASA Mars Sample Return mission (funded 2023 - 2025). This will ensure samples returned from Mars are contained safely and can be handled and analysed.

PI on an Open University Open Societal Challenges grant: Earth and space sustainability (£100k, 2022-2025). The project aims to understand the risks and benefits of space activities and develop best-practice guidance for individuals and organizations involved in space activities.

PI on a UK Space Agency Exploration Science Studentship: How to find life on Mars (funded 2024-2027). Investigating biological potential and putative biosignature formation.

Research Impact:

Planetary Protection Policy: As planetary protection advisor to the UKSA, Karen has been involved in the development of a framework for planetary protection and established the UK Planetary Protection Advisory Panel to ensure that all UK launches adhere to the UN Outer Space Treaty on avoidance of contamination. The Advisory Panel’s work underpins the UK's ambition to lead global standard-setting to ensure sustainable space activities for future generations. Internationally, she represents the UK on the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection, which is responsible for the international planetary protection policy. Within this role, she actively led the Mars sub-committee, recently publishing a paper highlighting the knowledge gaps to enable more complex missions to Mars.

Industry and space mission safety: Karen has strong collaborations with industry, including: collaborating with Airbus and the University of Southampton to develop a hand-held non-thermal plasma surface for decontaminating sensitive material. She is actively supporting the Mars Sample Return mission as part of the ESA Mars Sample Return Re-entry Safety Review Panel, which aims to ensure that all biological risk associated with returning samples to Earth is fully mitigated.

Space Missions: Karen is part of the Europa Clipper mission science team, investigating whether Europa, a moon of Jupiter, has the conditions to support life. Additionally, she is a member of the European BioSignatures and Habitable Niches (BioSigN) consortium, launching in 2026. She has been involved in the BIOPAN VI and EXPOSE missions, where they have been investigating the effect of low Earth orbit on microbial survival and bio-signatures.

Further information regarding AstrobiologyOU can be found here: open.ac.uk/AstrobiologyOU

Impact and engagement

In 2024, Karen hosted the Inaugural International COSPAR Planetary Protection Week at the Royal Society. Representatives attended from 17 international space agencies, 20 commercial and aerospace industry partners, and over 50 academic institutes spanning 24 countries. The event increased international awareness of planetary protection and identified the need for international collaboration.

Karen is passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists through engagement with astrobiology research. She has been interviewed for several major news outlets, including the Radio 4 Inside Science episode Life Beyond Earth and, in 2023, she talked about astrobiology at the Bluedot festival, a music and science event and she regularly visit local primary and secondary schools to discuss her research with students.

Externally funded projects

Planetary Science Consolidated Grant 2020-2023

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Co-investigator	01 Apr 2020	31 Jul 2023	STFC Science & Technology Facilities Council
STFC Planetary Science Consolidated grant - details to be entered here.

Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI)

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Lead	01 Feb 2020	31 Jul 2024	EC (European Commission): FP (inc. Horizon Europe, H2020, ERC)
The Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI) provides free access to the world’s largest collection of planetary simulation and analysis facilities, data services and tools, a ground-based observational network and programme of community support activities. The project is funded through the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme and runs for four years from February 2020 until January 2024. The Europlanet 2024 RI consortium is led by the University of Kent, UK, and has 53 beneficiary institutions from 21 countries in Europe and around the world, with a further 44 affiliated partners. The project draws on the resources of the Europlanet Society to disseminate activities and outcomes and develop a more diverse community of users. Europlanet 2024 RI provides: Transnational Access to 24 laboratories in Europe and five field sites. Virtual Access to services and tools. Networking activities to support the community and provide rapid response observations to support planetary missions.

[E3] - Astrobiology at The Open University

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Lead	01 Aug 2019	31 Mar 2023	Research England
Astrobiology is an emerging scientific field and is driven by the question ‘are we alone in the Universe?’ With an increasing number of life-detection/habitability missions, astrobiology is at the core of nations’ space strategies. The Open University Astrobiology Unit focuses on understanding how, and where, life might be found, by combining field work, laboratory simulations and mission data. Building on this expertise, Unit members are involved in key astrobiology-related missions and in developing planetary protection regulations. E3 funding will build capacity in line with future missions by furthering our understanding of extraterrestrial environments and potential life, through developing facilities to simulate these environments and investigating analogue sites. This is aimed at understanding if, and where, life may be found beyond the Earth. The Unit will develop its expertise to meet the new challenges that arise as the private sector and smaller nations develop exploration capacity. This includes supporting the sector to meet, and define, planetary protection requirements and to address space governance, for example, ensuring environmental sustainability of missions. The Unit will develop relevant education material for the expanding space sector, and it will work to ensure knowledge and expertise in astrobiology is used in a just and equitable manner. Sustainability of the Unit will be underpinned by commercial services, external funding, and University investment. The Unit will support the growth of astrobiology networks of industry, higher educational institutes and policymakers, and early career researchers, to ensure that the UK is globally recognised and influential within the field.

STFC IAA 2018

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Co-investigator	01 Jun 2018	31 May 2019	STFC Science & Technology Facilities Council
The funding from the STFC IAA is being used to strategically focus on translating our space research, developing new opportunities and providing support to foster entrepreneurialism among our researchers and academics. The funding of £100k is being accessed via an internal competition.

Trace gas bio-signatures: implications for NOMAD

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Lead	01 Apr 2018	31 Mar 2022	UKSA UK Space Agency
The overall aim of this proposal is to identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be used by NOMAD (Nadir and Occultation for Mars Discovery) as evidence of biological processes on Mars

CENTA 2017 intake

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Co-investigator	01 Oct 2017	31 Jul 2022	NERC Natural Environment Research Council
CENTA is a geographically and scientifically coherent consortium offering a wide range of excellent NERC science embedded in a vibrant multidisciplinary environment. The Universities (Birmingham, Leicester, Loughborough, Open and Warwick) and Institutes (British Geological Survey and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology) have a strong track record of producing PhD graduates fit for further research or other relevant employment. The Open University STEM Faculty has match-funded 3 studentships in the 2017 intake.

The impact of hydrological change on carbon fluxes and soil bacterial biomass in a species-rich calcareous grassland

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Co-investigator	03 Jul 2017	25 Aug 2017	NERC Natural Environment Research Council
This is a summer student project, under the NERC Research Experience Placement (REP) scheme. The aim of this project is to investigate the impact of the different hydrological treatments on soil microbial biomass and soil-atmosphere carbon fluxes at the RainDrop experimental site. The primary hypotheses the student will be tasked with testing are: 1) CO2 production decreases under the drier and increases under the wetter conditions; 2) methane uptake increases under the drier and decreases under the wetter conditions; and 3) CO2 fluxes are coupled to and methane fluxes decoupled from changes in microbial biomass carbon. The rationale underlying these hypotheses is that the well understood response of soil respiration to soil moisture is associated with changes in total microbial abundance in this system, as opposed to inactivation of the communities, and that methane uptake increases with drought due to greater porosity of dry soil and reduces under wetter conditions due to diffusive limitations and methanogenisis at anoxic sites in the wet soil.

Planetary Science at the Open University 2017-2020

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Co-investigator	01 Apr 2017	31 Aug 2020	STFC Science & Technology Facilities Council
Our proposed research programme addresses the origin and evolution of the Solar System, including surfaces, atmospheres and physical, geological, chemical and biological processes on the terrestrial planets, the Moon, asteroids, comets, icy satellites and extraterrestrial materials, in a range of projects which address the STFC Science Roadmap challenge B: “How do stars and planetary systems develop and is life unique to our planet?” The inner rocky bodies of the Solar System are of particular importance in understanding planetary system evolution, because of their common origin but subsequent divergent histories. Lunar samples will be used to determine the abundance and composition of volatile elements on the Moon, their source(s) in the lunar interior, and processes influencing their evolution over lunar geological history. Oxygen isotope analysis will be used to determine the conditions and processes that shape the formation of materials during the earliest stages of Solar System formation. Mars is the focus of international Solar System exploration programmes, with the ultimate aim of Mars Sample Return. We will: investigate the martian water cycle on global and local scales through a synthesis of atmospheric modeling, space mission data and surface geology; assess potential changes in the composition of Mars’ atmosphere over time through measurement of tracers trapped in martian meteorites of different ages; and determine whether carbon dioxide, rather than water flow, is able to account for recently active surface features on Mars. Mercury is an end-member in the planet-formation spectrum and we plan to exploit NASA MESSENGER data to study its origin and crustal evolution, and prepare for ESA’s BepiColombo mission. The cold outer regions of the Solar System, and particularly comets, are believed to have retained some of the most pristine primitive material from their formation. We plan to probe the composition and origins of cometary material and understand the processes that drive cometary activity through: laboratory analysis of the most primitive Interplanetary Dust Particles; and direct measurements of a comet by our instruments on the Rosetta mission, together with laboratory simulations. We will conduct laboratory ultraviolet observations of irradiated ices to provide new insights into the composition of Solar System ices and how they may create atmospheres around their parent bodies. We will also investigate the role volatiles can play in the cohesion (“making”) of Solar System minor bodies, and the fragmentation that can be achieved by thermal cycling (a candidate process that “breaks” them). The question of whether Earth is a unique location for life in the Solar System remains one of the most enduring questions of our time. We plan to investigate how the geochemistry of potentially habitable environments on Mars, Europa and Enceladus would change over geological timescales if life was present, producing distinguishable biomarkers that could be used as evidence of life in the Solar System. We will study the role of hypervelocity impacts in: the processing of compounds of critical interest to habitability (water, sulfur-species, organic species) during crater formation; and the hydrothermal system of the 100 km diameter Manicouagan impact structure in Canada to assess the astrobiological implications of hydrothermal systems for early Mars. In addition to satisfying humanity’s innate desire to explore and understand the Universe around us, our research has more tangible benefits. We use the analytical techniques involved from development of space and laboratory instrumentation for applications with companies in fields as diverse as medicine, security, tourism and cosmetics. One of the most important benefits of our research is that it helps to train and inspire students - the next generation of scientists and engineers – through training within the University and public outreach and schools programmes.

The feasibility of contemporary life elsewhere in our Solar System

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Lead	09 Jan 2017	08 Jan 2020	LEVERHULME The Leverhulme Trust
The aim of this proposal is it determine the feasibility of contemporary life existing elsewhere in the Solar System. To address this aim we will 1) investigate microbial processes that could occur in proposed transient water on the surface of Mars and in the sub-surface oceans of Enceladus and Europa and 2) assess how the geochemistry within these habitable environments would differ over geological timescales in the presence and absence of life. We will use a unique approach, which combines simulation experiments with geochemical modelling.

Support for the 7th Astrobiology Society of Britain Conference (ASB7)

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Lead	01 Sep 2016	31 Oct 2017	Royal Astronomical Society (RAS)
The Astrobiology Society of Britain (ASB, http://astrobiologysociety.org/) is a learned society for those interested in the relationship between life and its cosmic environment, with the remit to build capacity in the UK astrobiology community. Since the inception of the Society, a series of biennial conferences have been organised to achieve this aim. The next ASB conference will take place in 2017, and will coincide with the start of the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) mission to Mars. We seek support to host the next ASB conference at The Open University, with the intention of using the TGO mission as a central theme, highlighting the leading role the UK plays in this mission in order to encourage and inspire new research and collaborations around astrobiology-related themes. TGO will enter the orbit of Mars in October 2016. One of the scientific objectives of the payload is to search for signs of past and present life on Mars, which is fundamental to the field of Astrobiology. The next ASB conference is planned to take place when TGO is nearing the start of its science operations (following a long period of aerobraking). The ASB conference will be an ideal environment for UK scientists involved in the mission to showcase their work and excite the next generation of scientists. It will also ensure that new novel data will be presented, which will have implications on our understanding of potential life on Mars. The conference is an opportunity to bring UK researchers together from a range of disparate discipline, and will allow students and post-doctoral researchers to hear about new ground breaking research in Astrobiology and develop their own networks. Astrobiology is a multidisciplinary research area that brings together diverse fields of science for example, microbiology and physics. This highlights how important the conference is for developing networks within the UK. ASB 7 will be held at The Open University in September 2017. Key themes for the conference will include the ExoMars TGO mission, future exploration of icy moons and life in extreme environments.

STFC DTG 2015 - 2016 (2015 Intake)

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Co-investigator	01 Oct 2015	30 Sep 2020	STFC Science & Technology Facilities Council
STFC DTG Quota 2015-16 AMS record for students starting on or after 01/10/2015

Astronomy and Planetary Sciences at the Open University

Role	Start date	End date	Funding source
Co-investigator	01 Apr 2014	31 Mar 2017	STFC Science & Technology Facilities Council
The aim of our programme in Astronomy & Planetary Science at the Open University (APSOU) is to carryout detailed investigations of the origin and evolution of galaxies, stars and planets with a special emphasis on our own Solar System through a combination of observation, simulation, laboratory analysis and theoretical modelling. Our research is divided into two broad areas, reflecting the historical research strengths. This research programme is well-matched to both nationally- and internationally-agreed research imperatives. In its final report, A Science Vision for European Astronomy2, Astronet’s Science Working Group identified four broad areas of strategic importance; our research covers major topics within each of these areas. APSOU projects also map onto two of the four Science Challenges that form STFC’s Road Map3 for science (‘How did the universe begin and how is it evolving?’ and ‘How do stars and planetary systems develop and is life unique to our planet?’). The present APSOU programme comprises 20 projects (labelled A to T), of which 6 are for consideration by the Astronomy Observation (AO) panel, 1 for Astronomy Theory (AT), and 13 for the Planetary Studies (PL) panel. The AO projects cover the breadth of the 7 themes recognised as UK strengths in the report of STFC’s Astronomy Advisory Panel (AAP), whilst the 13 PL projects are directed towards answering questions raised in two of the three themes identified as UK strengths in the roadmap of STFC’s Solar System Advisory Panel (SSAP)4.

Publications

Journal articles

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in terrestrial extreme environments: implications for life detection beyond Earth (2024-10)
Batty, C A; Pearson, Victoria; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Morgan, Geraint
Natural Product Reports ((Early access))

An inorganic silicate simulant to represent the interior of enceladus (2024-09)
Hamp, R. E.; Olsson-Francis, K.; Schwenzer, S. P. and Pearson, V. K.
Planetary and Space Science, 248, Article 105934

Experimental Identification of Potential Martian Biosignatures in Open and Closed Systems (2024-05-17)
Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Macey, Michael C.; Kucukkilic-Stephens, Ezgi; Barton, Timothy; Steele, Andrew; Johnson, David N.; Stephens, Ben P.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Astrobiology, 24(5) (pp. 538-558)

The COSPAR planetary protection policy for missions to Icy Worlds: A review of history, current scientific knowledge, and future directions (2024-05)
Doran, P.T.; Hayes, A.; Grasset, O.; Coustenis, A.; Prieto-Ballesteros, O.; Hedman, N.; Al Shehhi, O.; Ammannito, E.; Fujimoto, M.; Groen, F.; Moores, J.E.; Mustin, C.; Olsson-Francis, K.; Peng, J.; Praveenkumar, K.; Rettberg, P.; Sinibaldi, S.; Ilyin, V.; Raulin, F.; Suzuki, Y.; Xu, K.; Whyte, L.G.; Zaitsev, M.; Buffo, J.; Kminek, G. and Schmidt, B.
Life Sciences in Space Research, 41 (pp. 86-99)

Draft genome sequence of Bacillus sp. strain X and Salarachaeum sp. strain III isolated from Lake Karum, Danakil Depression, Ethiopia (2024-03)
Balcha, Ermias Sissay; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Stephens, Ben; Cavalazzi, Barbara; Woldesemayat, Adugna Abdi; Gemeda, Mesfin Tafesse and Macey, Michael C.
Microbiology Resource Announcements, 13, Article e01260-23(3)

Planetary Protection Knowledge Gap Closure Enabling Crewed Missions to Mars (2024-03)
Spry, James A.; Siegel, Bette; Bakermans, Corien; Beaty, David W.; Bell, Mary-Sue; Benardini, James N.; Bonaccorsi, Rosalba; Castro-Wallace, Sarah L.; Coil, David A.; Coustenis, Athena; Doran, Peter T.; Fenton, Lori; Fidler, David P.; Glass, Brian; Hoffman, Stephen J.; Karouia, Fathi; Levine, Joel S.; Lupisella, Mark L.; Martin-Torres, Javier; Mogul, Rakesh; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Ortega-Ugalde, Sandra; Patel, Manish R.; Pearce, David A.; Race, Margaret S.; Regberg, Aaron B.; Rettberg, Petra; Rummel, John D.; Sato, Kevin Y.; Schuerger, Andrew C.; Sefton-Nash, Elliot; Sharkey, Matthew; Singh, Nitin K.; Sinibaldi, Silvio; Stabekis, Perry; Stoker, Carol R.; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri J.; Zimmerman, Robert R. and Zorzano-Mier, Maria-Paz
Astrobiology, 24(3) (pp. 230-274)

Draft genome sequence of Halobacillus campisalis strain ASL-17 (2024-02)
Srivastava, Anushree; Macey, Michael Christopher; McGenity, Terry J. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Microbiology Resource Announcements, 13, Article e00692-23(2)

How to identify cell material in a single ice grain emitted from Enceladus or Europa (2024)
Klenner, Fabian; Bönigk, Janine; Napoleoni, Maryse; Hillier, Jon; Khawaja, Nozair; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Cable, Morgan L; Malaska, Michael J; Kempf, Sascha; Abel, Bernd and Postberg, Frank
Science Advances, 10, Article eadl0849(12)

Planetary protection: Updates and challenges for a sustainable space exploration (2023-09)
Coustenis, Athena; Hedman, Niklas; Doran, Peter T.; Al Shehhi, Omar; Ammannito, Eleonora; Fujimoto, Masaki; Grasset, Olivier; Groen, Frank; Hayes, Alex; Ilyin, Vyacheslav; Kumar K, Praveen; Morisset, Caroline-Emmanuelle; Mustin, Christian; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Peng, Jing; Prieto Ballesteros, Olga; Raulin, Francois; Rettberg, Petra; Sinibaldi, Silvio; Suzuki, Johey; Xu, Kanyan and Zaitsev, Maxim
Acta Astronautica, 210 (pp. 446-452)

Planetary protection: an international concern and responsibility (2023-05-30)
Coustenis, Athena; Hedman, Niklas; Doran, Peter T.; Al Shehhi, Omar; Ammannito, Eleonora; Fujimoto, Masaki; Grasset, Olivier; Groen, Frank; Hayes, Alexander G.; Ilyin, Vyacheslav; Kumar, K. Praveen; Morisset, Caroline-Emmanuelle; Mustin, Christian; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Peng, Jing; Prieto-Ballesteros, Olga; Raulin, Francois; Rettberg, Petra; Sinibaldi, Silvio; Suzuki, Yohey; Xu, Kanyan and Zaitsev, Maxim
Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 10, Article 1172546

The COSPAR planetary protection requirements for space missions to Venus (2023-05)
Zorzano, María Paz; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Doran, Peter T.; Rettberg, Petra; Coustenis, Athena; Ilyin, Vyacheslav; Raulin, Francois; Shehhi, Omar Al; Groen, Frank; Grasset, Olivier; Nakamura, Akiko; Ballesteros, Olga Prieto; Sinibaldi, Silvio; Suzuki, Yohey; Kumar, Praveen; Kminek, Gerhard; Hedman, Niklas; Fujimoto, Masaki; Zaitsev, Maxim; Hayes, Alex; Peng, Jing; Ammannito, Eleonora; Mustin, Christian and Xu, Kanyan
Life Sciences in Space Research, 37 (pp. 18-24)

The COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy for robotic missions to Mars: a review of current scientific knowledge and future perspectives (2023-02)
Olsson-Francis, Karen; Doran, Peter T.; Ilyin, Vyacheslav; Raulin, Francois; Rettberg, Petra; Kminek, Gerhard; Mier, María Paz Zorzano; Coustenis, Athena; Hedman, Niklas; Shehhi, Omar Al; Ammannito, Eleonora; Bernardini, James; Fujimoto, Masaki; Grasset, Olivier; Groen, Frank; Hayes, Alex; Gallagher, Sarah; Kumar, Praveen; Mustin, Christian; Nakamura, Akiko; Seasly, Elaine; Suzuki, Yohey; Peng, Jing; Ballesteros, Olga Prieto; Sinibaldi, Silvio; Xu, Kanyan and Zaitsev, Maxim
Life Sciences in Space Research, 36 (pp. 27-35)

Habitability and Biosignature Formation in Simulated Martian Aqueous Environments (2023-02)
Macey, Michael; Ramkissoon, Nisha; Cogliati, Simone; Toubes-Rodrigo, Mario; Stephens, Ben; Kucukkilic-Stephens, Ezgi; Schwenzer, Susanne; Pearson, Victoria; Preston, Louisa J. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Astrobiology, 23(2) (pp. 144-154)

Toward Detecting Biosignatures of DNA, Lipids, and Metabolic Intermediates from Bacteria in Ice Grains Emitted by Enceladus and Europa (2023-01)
Dannenmann, Marie; Klenner, Fabian; Bönigk, Janine; Pavlista, Miriam; Napoleoni, Maryse; Hillier, Jon; Khawaja, Nozair; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Cable, Morgan L.; Malaska, Michael J.; Abel, Bernd and Postberg, Frank
Astrobiology, 23(1) (pp. 60-75)

Ethical considerations for analogue fieldwork in extreme environments (2023)
Marino, Alessandra; Franchi, Fulvio; Lebogang, Lesedi; Gomez, Fernando J.; Azua-Bustos, Armando; Cavalazzi, Barbara; Balcha, Ermias; Lynch, Kennda; Bhagwat, Shonil A. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Nature Astronomy, 7(9) (pp. 1031-1036)

Enceladus as a potential oasis for life: Science goals and investigations for future explorations (2022-12)
Choblet, Gaël; Tobie, Gabriel; Buch, Arnaud; Čadek, Ondrej; Barge, Laura M.; Bēhounková, Marie; Camprubi, Eloi; Freissinet, Caroline; Hedman, Matt; Jones, Geraint; Lainey, Valery; Le Gall, Alice; Lucchetti, Alice; MacKenzie, Shannon; Mitri, Giuseppe; Neveu, Marc; Nimmo, Francis; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Panning, Mark; Postberg, Frank; Saur, Joachim; Schmidt, Jürgen; Sekine, Yasuhito; Shibuya, Takazo; Sotin, Christophe; Soucek, Ondrej; Szopa, Cyril; Usui, Tomohiro; Vance, Steven and Van Hoolst, Tim
Experimental Astronomy, 54 (pp. 809-847)

Geochemical bio-signatures in Martian analogue basaltic environments using laboratory experiments and thermochemical modelling (2022-11)
Cogliati, Simone; Wolsey, Elliot; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 9, Article 1062007.

Biosignature stability in space enables their use for life detection on Mars (2022-09-09)
Baqué, Mickael; Backhaus, Theresa; Meeßen, Joachim; Hanke, Franziska; Böttger, Ute; Ramkissoon, Nisha; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Baumgärtner, Michael; Billi, Daniela; Cassaro, Alessia; de la Torre Noetzel, Rosa; Demets, René; Edwards, Howell; Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Elsaesser, Andreas; Foing, Bernard; Foucher, Frédéric; Huwe, Björn; Joshi, Jasmin; Kozyrovska, Natalia; Lasch, Peter; Lee, Natuschka; Leuko, Stefan; Onofri, Silvano; Ott, Sieglinde; Pacelli, Claudia; Rabbow, Elke; Rothschild, Lynn; Schulze-Makuch, Dirk; Selbmann, Laura; Serrano, Paloma; Szewzyk, Ulrich; Verseux, Cyprien; Wagner, Dirk; Westall, Frances; Zucconi, Laura and de Vera, Jean-Pierre P.
Science Advances, 8(36)

Oligotrophic Growth of Nitrate-Dependent Fe ²⁺ -Oxidising Microorganisms Under Simulated Early Martian Conditions (2022-03)
Price, Alex; Macey, Michael C.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Ramkissoon, Nisha K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, Article 800219

Hunting for Life on Mars by Studying Life on Earth (2021-10)
Macey, Michael; Grand, Ann; Fox-Powell, Mark; Ramkissoon, Nisha; Cousins, Claire and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Frontiers for Young Minds, 9, Article 665929

Habitability of Martian Noachian Hydrothermal Systems as Constrained by a Terrestrial Analog on the Colorado Plateau (2021-07-29)
Crandall, Jake R.; Filiberto, Justin; Castle, Nicholas; Potter-McIntyre, Sally L.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Perl, Scott
The Planetary Science Journal, 2, Article 138(4)

Exploring the environments of Martian impact‐generated hydrothermal systems and their potential to support life (2021-07)
Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Turner, Stuart M. R.; Macey, Michael C.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Reed, Mark H.; Pearson, Victoria K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 56(7) (pp. 1350-1368)

Assembly of Bacterial Genome Sequences from Metagenomes of Spacecraft Assembly Cleanrooms (2021)
Ilieva, Velislava; Steel, Bruce; Pratscher, Jennifer; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Macey, Michael
Microbiology Resource Announcements, 10, Article e01439-20(7)

Planetary Protection in the New Space Era: Science and Governance (2020-11-13)
Cheney, Thomas; Newman, Christopher; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Steele, Scott; Pearson, Victoria and Lee, Simon
Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 7, Article 589817

Habitability of hydrothermal systems at Jezero and Gusev Craters as constrained by hydrothermal alteration of a terrestrial mafic dike (2020-05)
Costello, Lacey J.; Filiberto, Justin; Crandall, Jake R.; Potter-McIntyre, Sally L.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Miller, Michael A.; Hummer, Daniel R.; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Perl, Scott
Geochemistry, 80, Article 125613(2)

Simulating microbial processes in extraterrestrial, aqueous environments (2020-02-29)
Olsson-Francis, K.; Ramkissoon, N. K.; Macey, M.; Pearson, V. K.; Schwenzer, S. P. and Johnson, D. N.
Journal of Microbiological Methods, 172, Article 105883

Exploring Deep-Sea Brines as Potential Terrestrial Analogues of Oceans in the Icy Moons of the Outer Solar System. (2020-01-22)
Antunes, André; Olsson-Francis, Karen and McGenity, Terry J
Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 38 (pp. 123-162)

Infrared Spectroscopic Detection of Biosignatures at Lake Tírez, Spain: Implications for Mars (2020)
Preston, Louisa J.; Barcenilla, Rebeca; Dartnell, Lewis R.; Kucukkilic-Stephens, Ezgi and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Astrobiology, 20(2) (pp. 15-25)

Experimental and Simulation Efforts in the Astrobiological Exploration of Exooceans (2020)
Taubner, Ruth-Sophie; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Vance, Steven D.; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Postberg, Frank; de Vera, Jean-Pierre; Antunes, André; Camprubi Casas, Eloi; Sekine, Yasuhito; Noack, Lena; Barge, Laura; Goodman, Jason; Jebbar, Mohamed; Journaux, Baptiste; Karatekin, Özgür; Klenner, Fabian; Rabbow, Elke; Rettberg, Petra; Rückriemen-Bez, Tina; Saur, Joachim; Shibuya, Takazo and Soderlund, Krista M.
Space Science Reviews, 216, Article 9(1)

The identification of sulfide oxidation as a potential metabolism driving primary production on late Noachian Mars (2020)
Macey, M. C.; Fox-Powell, M.; Ramkissoon, N. K.; Stephens, B. P.; Barton, T.; Schwenzer, S. P.; Pearson, V. K.; Cousins, C. R. and Olsson-Francis, K.
Scientific reports, 10, Article 10941

New simulants for martian regolith: Controlling iron variability (2019-12)
Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Schröder, Christian; Kirnbauer, Thomas; Wood, Deborah; Seidel, Robert G. W.; Miller, Michael A. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Planetary and Space Science, 179, Article 104722

Biological Contamination Prevention for Outer Solar System Moons of Astrobiological Interest: What Do We Need to Know? (2019-07-29)
Rettberg, Petra; Antunes, André; Brucato, John; Cabezas, Patricia; Collins, Geoffrey; Haddaji, Alissa; Kminek, Gerhard; Leuko, Stefan; McKenna-Lawlor, Susan; Moissl-Eichinger, Christine; Fellous, Jean-Louis; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Pearce, David; Rabbow, Elke; Royle, Samuel; Saunders, Mark; Sephton, Mark; Spry, Andy; Walter, Nicolas; Wimmer Schweingruber, Robert and Treuet, Jean-Charles
Astrobiology, 19(8) (pp. 951-974)

Carbon fixation by marine ultra-small prokaryotes (2019-04)
Lannes, Romain; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Lopez, Philippe and Bapteste, Eric
Genome Biology and Evolution, 11(4) (pp. 1166-1177)

The Dallol Geothermal Area, Northern Afar (Ethiopia) — An Exceptional Planetary Field Analog on Earth (2019-03-27)
Cavalazzi, B.; Barbieri, R.; Gómez, F.; Capaccioni, B.; Olsson-Francis, K.; Pondrelli, M.; Rossi, A.P.; Hickman-Lewis, K.; Agangi, A.; Gasparotto, G.; Glamoclija, M.; Ori, G.G.; Rodriguez, N. and Hagos, M.
Astrobiology, 19(4) (pp. 553-578)

Multimicrobial Kombucha Culture Tolerates Mars-Like Conditions Simulated on Low-Earth Orbit (2019-02-11)
Podolich, Olga; Kukharenko, Olga; Haidak, Andriy; Zaets, Iryna; Zaika, Leonid; Storozhuk, Olha; Palchikovska, Larysa; Orlovska, Iryna; Reva, Oleg; Borisova, Tatiana; Khirunenko, Ludmila; Sosnin, Mikhail; Rabbow, Elke; Kravchenko, Volodymyr; Skoryk, Mykola; Kremenskoy, Maksym; Demets, Rene; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Kozyrovska, Natalia and de Vera, Jean-Pierre Paul
Astrobiology, 19(2) (pp. 183-196)

Limits of Life and the Habitability of Mars: The ESA Space Experiment BIOMEX on the ISS (2019-02-11)
de Vera, Jean-Pierre; Alawi, Mashal; Backhaus, Theresa; Baqué, Mickael; Billi, Daniela; Böttger, Ute; Berger, Thomas; Bohmeier, Maria; Cockell, Charles; Demets, René; de la Torre Noetzel, Rosa; Edwards, Howell; Elsaesser, Andreas; Fagliarone, Claudia; Fiedler, Annelie; Foing, Bernard; Foucher, Frédéric; Fritz, Jörg; Hanke, Franziska; Herzog, Thomas; Horneck, Gerda; Hübers, Heinz-Wilhelm; Huwe, Björn; Joshi, Jasmin; Kozyrovska, Natalia; Kruchten, Martha; Lasch, Peter; Lee, Natuschka; Leuko, Stefan; Leya, Thomas; Lorek, Andreas; Martínez-Frías, Jesús; Meessen, Joachim; Moritz, Sophie; Moeller, Ralf; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Onofri, Silvano; Ott, Sieglinde; Pacelli, Claudia; Podolich, Olga; Rabbow, Elke; Reitz, Günther; Rettberg, Petra; Reva, Oleg; Rothschild, Lynn; Sancho, Leo Garcia; Schulze-Makuch, Dirk; Selbmann, Laura; Serrano, Paloma; Szewzyk, Ulrich; Verseux, Cyprien; Wadsworth, Jennifer; Wagner, Dirk; Westall, Frances; Wolter, David and Zucconi, Laura
Astrobiology, 19(2) (pp. 145-157)

Draft Genome Sequence of Clostridium sp. Strain E02, Isolated from an Estuarine Environment (2019-01-10)
Macey, Michael; Curtis-Harper, Elliot and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Microbiology resource announcements, 8(2)

Ultra-small microorganisms in the polyextreme conditions of the Dallol volcano, Northern Afar, Ethiopia (2019)
Gómez, Felipe; Cavalazzi, Barbara; Rodríguez, Nuria; Amils, Ricardo; Ori, Gian Gabriele; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Escudero, Cristina; Martínez, Jose M. and Miruts, Hagos
Scientific Reports, 9, Article 7907(1)

[Editorial] Habitability Beyond Earth (2018-11-15)
Olsson-Francis, Karen; Billi, Daniela; Teske, Andreas and de Vera, Jean-Pierre P.
Frontiers in Microbiology, 9 (p 2645)

Draft Genome Sequences of the Nitrate-Dependent Iron-Oxidizing Proteobacteria Acidovorax sp. Strain BoFeN1 and Paracoccus pantotrophus Strain KS1 (2018-09-13)
Price, A.; Macey, M. C.; Miot, J. and Olsson-Francis, K.
Microbiology Resource Announcements, 7, Article e01050-18(10)

The Microbial Community of a Terrestrial Anoxic Inter-Tidal Zone: A Model for Laboratory-Based Studies of Potentially Habitable Ancient Lacustrine Systems on Mars (2018-06-30)
Curtis-Harper, Elliot; Pearson, Victoria K.; Summers, Stephen; Bridges, John C.; Schwenzer, Susanne P. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Microorganisms, 6, Article 61(3)

Nitrate-Dependent Iron Oxidation: A Potential Mars Metabolism (2018-03-20)
Price, Alex; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Miot, Jennyfer and Olsson-Francis, Karen
Frontiers in Microbiology, 9(513)

Determination of Geochemical Bio-Signatures in Mars-Like Basaltic Environments (2017-09-08)
Olsson-Francis, Karen; Pearson, Victoria; Steer, Elisabeth D. and Schwenzer, Susanne P.
Frontiers in Microbiology, 8, Article 1668

Defining Multiple Characteristic Raman Bands of α-Amino Acids as Biomarkers for Planetary Missions Using a Statistical Method (2016-06)
Rolfe, S. M.; Patel, M. R.; Gilmour, I.; Olsson-Francis, K. and Ringrose, T. J.
Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres, 46(2) (pp. 323-346)

A Study of the Microbial Community at the Interface between Granite Bedrock and Soil Using a Culture-Independent and Culture-Dependent Approach (2016)
Olsson-Francis, Karen; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schofield, Paul F.; Oliver, Anna and Summers, Stephen
Advances in Microbiology, 6(3) (pp. 233-245)

A culture-independent and culture-dependent study of the bacteria community from the bedrock soil interface (2015-12-15)
Olsson-Francis, Karen; Pearson, Victoria; Boardman, Carl; Schofield, Paul; Oliver, Anna and Summers, Stephen
Advances in Microbiology, 5(13) (pp. 842-857)

Are thermophilic microorganisms active in cold? (2015-07)
Cockell, Charles S.; Cousins, Claire; Wilkinson, Paul T.; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Rozitis, Ben
International Journal of Astrobiology, 14(3) (pp. 457-463)

Cyanobacteria isolated from the high-intertidal zone: a model for studying the physiological prerequisites for survival in low Earth orbit. (2013-10)
Olsson-Francis, Karen; Cockell, Charles and Watson, Jonathan S.
International Journal of Astrobiology, 12(4) (pp. 292-303)

The effect of rock composition on cyanobacterial weathering of crystalline basalt and rhyolite (2012-09)
Olsson-Francis, K.; Simpson, A. E.; Wolff-Boenisch, D. and Cockell, C. S.
Geobiology, 10(5) (pp. 434-444)

Survival of Deinococcus radiodurans against laboratory-simulated solar wind charged particle (2011-11-17)
Paulino-Lima, Ivan Gláucio; Janot-Pacheco, Eduardo; Galante, Douglas; Cockell, Charles; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Brucato, John Robert; Baratta, Giuseppe Antonio; Strazzulla, Giovanni; Merrigan, Tony; McCullough, Robert; Mason, Nigel and Lage, Claudia
Astrobiology, 11(9) (pp. 875-882)

Exposure of phototrophs to 548 days in low earth orbit: microbial selection pressures in outer space and on early earth (2011-05-19)
Cockell, Charles S.; Rettberg, Petra; Rabbow, Elke and Olsson-Francis, Karen
ISME Journal, 5 (pp. 1671-1682)

Molecular characterization and geological microenvironment of a microbial community inhabiting weathered receding shale cliffs (2011-01)
Cockell, Charles S.; Pybus, David; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Kelly, Laura; Petley, David; Rosser, Nick; Howard, Karen and Mosselmans, Fred
Molecular Ecology, 61(1) (pp. 166-181)

Draft genome sequence of the thermoalkaliphilic Caldalkalibacillus thermarum strain TA2.A1 (2011)
Kalamortz, Falk; Keis, Stefanie; Mcmillan, Duncan G. G.; Olsson, Karen; Stanton, Jo-Ann; Stockwell, Peter; Black, Mik A.; Klingeman, Dawn M.; Land, Miriam L.; Han, Cliff S.; Martin, Stanton L.; Becher, S. Anette; Peddie, Catherine J.; Morgan, Hugh W.; Matthies, Doreen; Preiß, Laura; Meier, Thomas; Brown, Steven D. and Cook, Gregory M.
Journal of Bacteriology, 193(16) (pp. 4290-4291)

Microbial endolithic colonization and the geochemical environment in young seafloor basalts (2010-12-03)
Cockell, C. S.; van Calsteren, Peter; Mosselmans, J. Fred W.; Franchi, Ian A.; Gilmour, Iain; Kelly, Laura; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Johnson, Diane
Chemical geology, 279(1-2) (pp. 17-30)

Microarray analysis of a microbe–mineral interaction (2010-12)
Olsson-Francis, K.; Van Houdt, R.; Mergeay, M.; Leys, N. and Cockell, C. S.
Geobiology, 8(5) (pp. 446-456)

Use of cyanobacteria for in-situ resource use in space applications (2010-08)
Olsson-Francis, Karen and Cockell, Charles
Planetary And Space Science, 58(10) (pp. 1279-1285)

Isolation of novel extreme-tolerant cyanobacteria from a rock-dwelling microbial community by using exposure to low Earth orbit (2010-04)
Olsson-Francis, Karen; de la Torre, Rosa and Cockell, Charles S.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 76(7) (pp. 2115-2121)

Experimental methods for studying microbial survival in extraterrestrial environments (2010)
Olsson-Francis, Karen and Cockell, Charles
Journal of Microbiological Methods, 80(1) (pp. 1-13)

Survival of lichens and bacteria exposed to outer space conditions: results of the space Lithopanspermia experiment (2010)
de La Torre, Rosa; Sancho, Leopoldo G.; Horneck, Gerda; de los Ríos, Asunción; Wierzchos, Jacek; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Cockell, Charles; Rettberg, Petra; Berger, Thomas; de Vera, Jean-Pierre P.; Ott, Sieglinde; Frías, Jesus Martinez; Melendi, Pablo Gonzalez; Lucas, Maria Mercedes; Reina, Manuel; Pintado, Ana and Demets, René
Icarus, 208(2) (pp. 735-748)

Survival of akinetes (resting-state cells of cyanobacteria) in low earth orbit and simulated extraterrestrial conditions (2009-12)
Olsson-Francis, Karen; Towner, Martin C.; de La Torre, Rosa and Cockell, Charles S.
Origins Of Life And Evolution Of The Biosphere, 39(6) (pp. 565-579)

Bacteria in weathered basaltic glass, Iceland (2009-10)
Cockell, Charles; Olsson, Karen; Knowles, Felicity; Kelly, Laura; Herrera, Aude; Thorsteinsson, Thorstein and Marteinsson, Viggo
Geomicrobiology Journal, 26(7) (pp. 491-507)

ESA experiment BIOPAN-6-Germination and Growth Capacity of Lichen Symbiont Cells and Ascospores After Space Exposure (2009-08-01)
de Vera, J. P.; Ott, S.; de la Torre, R.; Sancho, L. G.; Horneck, G.; Rettberg, P.; Ascaso, C.; de los Ríos, A.; Wierzchos, J.; Cockell, C.; Olsson, K.; Frías, J. M. and Demets, R.
Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres, 39(3) (pp. 359-360)

Alteration textures in terrestrial volcanic glass and the associated bacterial community (2009)
Cockell, C. S. and Olsson-Francis, K.
Geobiology, 7(1) (pp. 50-65)

Mutants of Mycobacterium smegmatis unable to grow at acidic pH in the presence of the protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (2005)
Tran, Sieu L.; Rao, Min; Simmers, Cameron; Gebhard, Susanne; Olsson, Karen and Cook, Gregory M.
Microbiology, 151(3) (pp. 665-672)

Bioenergetic properties of the Thermoalkaliphilic Bacillus sp. Strain TA2.A1 (2003-01)
Olsson, Karen; Keis, Stefanie; Morgan, Hugh W.; Dimroth, Peter and Cook, Gregory M.
Journal of Bacteriology, 185(2) (pp. 461-465)

Amino acid transport by Sphingomonas sp. strain Ant 17 isolated from oil-contaminated Antarctic soil (2003)
Young, Katherine; Brent Seale, R.; Olsson, Karen; Aislabie, Jackie and Cook, Gregory M.
Polar Biology, 26(8) (pp. 560-566)

Book chapters

The Study of Microbial Survival in Extraterrestrial Environments Using Low Earth Orbit and Ground-Based Experiments (2018-10)
Olsson-Francis, Karen; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Price, Alex B.; Slade, David J.; Macey, Michael C. and Pearson, Victoria K.
In: Gurtler, Volker and Trevors, Jack T. eds. Microbiology of Atypical Environments. Methods in Microbiology (pp. 27-65)
ISBN : 978-0-12-814604-0 | Publisher : Elsevier

Conclusions and Implications for Habitability of the Martian Crust (2018)
Filiberto, Justin; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Schwenzer, Susanne P.
In: Filiberto, Justin and Schwenzer, Susanne P. eds. Volatiles in the Martian Crust (pp. 393-399)
ISBN : 978-0-12-804191-8 | Publisher : Elsevier

Edited books

Ocean Worlds. Habitability in the Outer Solar System and Beyond
Coustenis, Athena; Rodrigo, R; Spohn, T; Hand, KP; Hayes, A; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Postberg, F; Sotin, C; Tobie, G; Raulin, F; Walter, N and L'Haridon, J
Coustenis, Athena; Rodrigo, Rafael; Spohn, Tilman; Hand, Kevin P.; Hayes, Alexander; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Postberg, Frank; Sotin, Christophe; Tobie, Gabriel; Raulin, Francois; Walter, Nicolas and L'Haridon, Jonas eds.
Space Sciences Series of ISSI
ISBN : 978-94-024-2069-2 | Publisher : Springer | Published : Dordrecht, NL

Conference items

Bubbles are rockets for microbes: predicting microbial dispersion in Enceladus’s plumes based on bubbling in Iceland’s geothermal springs. (2024)
Aldis, Angus; Fox-Powell, Mark; Gladding, Toni; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Stephens, Ben
In : UKPF 2024 Conference (15 Jan 2024, Imperial College London)

Biogeochemical Cycling in Globally Distributed Hypersaline Environments (2023-07)
Macey, Michael; Balcha, Ermias; Schwenzer, Susanne; Miruts, Hagos; Gomez, Felipe; Cavalazzi, Barbara and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 10th FEMS Congress of European Microbiologists (9-13 Jul 2023, Hamburg, Germany)

The habitability of water from distinct martian environments (2023)
Macey, Michael; Ramkissoon, Nisha; Baharier, Bea; Steele, Andrew; Kucukkilic-Stephens, Ezgi; Stephens, Ben; Schwenzer, Susanne; Pearson, Victoria and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : ASB9: Celebrating 20 Years of the Astrobiology Society of Britain (7-8 Sep 2023, Clore Management Centre, Birkbeck, University of London)

The habitability of distinct martian environments (2023)
Macey, Michael; Ramkissoon, Nisha; Baharier, Bea; Steele, Andrew; Kucukkilic-Stephens, Ezgi; Stephens, Ben; Schwenzer, Susanne; Pearson, Victoria and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : European Astrobiology Network Association EANA 2023 (19-22 Sep 2023, Madrid)

Functional potential of microbial communities within the Western Sahara salt plains and implications for life on early Mars (2023)
Ilieva, Velislava; Goodall, Tim; Read, Daniel; Pearson, Victoria; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Macey, Michael
In : Astrobiology Society of Britain 9 (ASB9) (07-08 Sep 2023, Birbeck, University of London, London)

Active microbial sulfur cycling in the Western Sahara salt plains and implications for life on early Mars (2023)
Ilieva, Velislava; Goodall, Tim; Read, Daniel; Pearson, Victoria; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Macey, Michael
In : European Astrobiology Network Association EANA 2023 (19-22 Sep 2023, Madrid, Spain)

COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy: recent advances (2023)
Coustenis, Athena; Hedman, Niklas; Doran, Peter T.; Al Shehhi, Omar; Ammannito, Eleonora; Fujimoto, Masaki; Grasset, Olivier; Groen, Frank; Hayes, Alexander; Ilyin, Vyacheslav; Praveen Kumar, K.; Moores, John E.; Mustin, Christian; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Peng, Jing; Ballesteros, Olga Prieto; Raulin, Francois; Rettberg, Petra; Sinibaldi, Silvio; Suzuki, Johey; Whyte, Lyle G.; Xu, Kanyan and Zaitsev, Maxim
In : 74th International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2023 (2 Oct - 6 Oct 2023, Baku)

Insights into the origins and composition of cryovolcanic plume particles from natural and experimental analogues (2023)
Fox-Powell, Mark G.; Stephens, Ben; Siggs, Dominic; Barton, Timothy; Hammond, Sam; Kucukkilic-Stephens, Ezgi; Batty, Claire; Gladding, Toni and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Workshop on the Origins and Habitability of the Galilean Moons (24-26 Oct 2023, Marseille, France)

Geochemistry and microbiology of geothermal aerosols in Iceland: implications for biosignatures in the plumes of Enceladus (2023)
Fox-Powell, Mark; Stephens, Ben; Barton, Timothy; Hammond, Sam; Kucukkilic-Stephens, Ezgi; Batty, Claire; Gladding, Toni and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 9th Astrobiology Society of Britain conference (07-08 Sep 2023, Birkbeck, University of London)

Geochemistry and microbiology of geothermal aerosols in Iceland: implications for biosignatures in the plumes of Enceladus (2023)
Fox-Powell, Mark; Stephens, Ben; Batty, Claire; Gladding, Toni and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (13-17 Mar 2023, Houston, TX, USA)

First insights into the chemistry and microbial community composition of the Western Sahara salt plains, a potential Mars analogue (2022)
Ilieva, Velislava; Stephens, Ben; Goodall, Tim; Ori, Gian Gabriele; Read, Daniel; Pearson, Victoria; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Macey, Michael
In : Geomicrobiology Research In Progress Meeting (30 Jun - 1 Jul 2022, University of Huddersfield)

Western Sahara salt plains as a potential novel Mars analogue (2022)
Ilieva, Velislava; Stephens, Ben; Goodall, Tim; Ori, Gian Gabriele; Read, Daniel; Pearson, Victoria; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Macey, Michael
In : Europlanet Science Congress 2022 (18-23 Sep 2022, Granada, Spain)

Entombment of microorganisms within rapidly frozen fluid droplets relevant to the plumes of Enceladus (2022)
Fox-Powell, Mark; Stephens, Ben; Del Moral Jimenez, Alvaro; Dazley, Connor; Slade, David; Richards, Grace; Cousins, Claire and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Forming and Exploring Habitable Worlds workshop (7-13 Nov 2022, Edinburgh, UK)

Entombment of microbial biomass within rapidly frozen fluid droplets relevant to the plumes of Enceladus (2022)
Fox-Powell, Mark; Stephens, Ben; Del Moral Jimenez, Alvaro; Dazley, Connor; Slade, David; Richards, Grace; Cousins, Claire and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Europlanet Science Congress 2022 (18-23 Sep 2022, Granada, Spain)

Experimentally probing the origin of Enceladus’s plume: bubble-bursting and aerosol formation at the liquid/vapour interface (2022)
Fox-Powell, Mark; Slade, David; Siggs, Dominic and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Europlanet Science Congress 2022 (18-23 Sep 2022, Granada, Spain)

Identification of fluids accompanying bio-signature formation in martian analogue experiments (2021-10-25)
Cogliati, Simone; Curtis-Harper, Elliot; Schwenzer, Susanne; Pearson, Victoria and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Brines Across the Solar System: Modern Brines conference (25-28 Oct 2021, Online)

Transforming astrobiology research and innovation: embedding an ethos of engaged research (2021-05-25)
Holliman, Richard; Marino, Alessandra; Berardi, Andrea; Grand, Ann; Mistry, Jay; Jafferally, Deirdre; Thomas, Raquel; Roberts, Grace; Marcus, Carol-Ann; Roopsind, Indranee; Roberts, Anthony; Davies, Sarah-Jane; Pearson, Victoria; Cooper, Hannah and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference: Time, Technology and Transformation (24-27 May 2021, Online)

Modelling water-rock interactions in the subsurface environment of Enceladus (2021-03)
Hamp, Rachael; Schwenzer, Susanne; Fox-Powell, Mark; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Pearson, Victoria
In : Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2021 (Mar 2021, Houston, USA)

Geochemical Energy Available to Microbes in Martian Impact Craters (2021)
Ramkissoon, Nisha; Turner, Stuart; Macey, Michael; Schwenzer, Susanne; Reed, M.H.; Pearson, Victoria and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2021 (15-19 Mar 2021, Virtual)

Thermochemical modelling of the subsurface environment of Enceladus to derive potential carbon reaction pathways (2020-10-02)
Hamp, Rachael; Schwenzer, Susanne; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Pearson, Victoria
In : Europlanet Science Congress 2020 (21 Sep - 9 Oct 2020, Virtual)

Colour Peak:An analogue environment for the waters of late Noachian Mars (2020-08-28)
Macey, Michael; Ramkissoon, Nisha; Fox-Powell, Mark; Barton, Tim; Stephens, Ben P.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Cousins, Claire R. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : EANA 2020 (27-28 Aug 2020, Online)

Thermochemical modelling of the subsurface environment on Enceladus (2020-06)
Hamp, Rachael; Schwenzer, Susanne; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Pearson, Victoria
In : Goldschmidt 2020 (21-26 Jun 2020, Online)

Modelling Water-Rock Interactions in the Sub-surface Environment of Enceladus. (2020-01-15)
Hamp, Rachael; Schwenzer, Susanne; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Pearson, Victoria
In : British Planetary Science Conference 2020 (13-15 Jan 2020, Oxford)

Testing the habitability of distinct simulated martian environments (2020)
Macey, Michael C.; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : AbGradE 2020 (26/08/2020, Online)

Colour Peak: An analogue environment for late Noachian Mars (2020)
Macey, Michael C.; Fox-Powell, Mark; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Stephens, Ben P.; Barton, Tim; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Cousins, Claire R. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Astrobiology Australasia Meeting (9-11 Sep 2020, Online)

Openness and collaboration in astrobiology education (2020)
Grand, Ann; Davies, Sarah-Jane; Pearson, Victoria; Holliman, Richard and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Europlanet Science Congress 2020 (21 Sep - 9 Oct 2020, Virtual)

Martian fluids and their evaporation products – an overview using thermochemical modelling (2020)
Schwenzer, Susanne; Bridges, John; Turner, Stuart; Ramkissoon, Nisha; Cogliati, Simone; Seidel, Robert; Reed, Mark; Filiberto, Justin; Vaniman, D. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (16-18 Mar 2020)

The identification of sulfide oxidation as potential metabolism driving primary production on late Noachian Mars (2020)
Macey, Michael C; Fox-Powell, Mark; Ramkissoon, Nisha K; Baharier, Bea; Oliver, James A W; Stephens, Ben; Schwenzer, Susanne P; Pearson, Victoria K; Cousins, Claire R and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (15-19 Mar 2020 (Virtual), Houston, USA)

Cryovolcanic plumes as a record of habitability: Fluid evolution and the fate of bioessential elements during freezing of simulated Enceladus ocean brines (2020)
Fox-Powell, Mark; Hamp, Rachael; Schwenzer, Susanne; Pearson, Victoria; Olsson-Francis, Karen and Cousins, Claire
In : European Astrobiology Network Association (1-4 Sep 2020, Online)

Modelling the Rock-Water Interactions in the Sub-surface Environment of Enceladus (2019-08)
Hamp, Rachael; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Schwenzer, Susanne; Ramkissoon, Nisha and Pearson, Victoria
In : Goldschmidt Conference 2019 (18-23 Aug 2019, Barcelona)

Viable metabolisms in a simulated martian environments (2019-06-24)
Macey, Michael; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : AbSciCon 2019 (24-28 Jun 2019, Bellevue, Washington)

The microbial diversity of a sulfur-rich and saline cold pool in the Canadian high Arctic (2019-04-08)
Macey, Michael Christopher; Stephens, Ben; Fox-Powell, Mark; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Cousins, Claire R. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2019 (8-11 Apr 2019, ICC Belfast, UK)

Viable metabolisms in a simulated martian chemical environment (2019-04-08)
Macey, Michael; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2019 (8-11 Apr 2019, ICC Belfast, UK)

A New Simulant to Represent The Silicate Interior of Enceladus (2019)
Hamp, Rachael; Ramkissoon, Nisha; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Schwenzer, Susanne and Pearson, Victoria
In : Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (18-22 Mar 2019, Houston, USA)

Simulating the Martian Chemical Environment (2018)
Ramkissoon, N. K.; Schwenzer, S. P.; Pearson, V. K. and Olsson-Francis, K.
In : 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (19-23 Mar 2018, The Woodlands, Houston, Texas, USA)

The Physio-Chemical Properties for the Interior of Enceladus (2018)
Hamp, R. E.; Ramkissoon, N. K.; Olsson-Francis, K.; Schwenzer, S. P. and Pearson, V. K.
In : 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (19-23 Mar 2018, The Woodlands, Houston, Texas, USA)

Microbial growth in simulated martian environments (2018)
Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Macey, Michael C.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : European Planetary Science Congress 2018 (16-21 Sep 2018, Berlin, Germany)

Arctic microbes – The phylogenetic and functional diversity of prokaryotes at Colour Peak (2018)
Macey, Michael Christopher; Fox-Powell, Mark; Stephens, Ben; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Cousins, Claire R. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : Molecular Microbial Ecology Group (MMEG) Meeting 2018 (17-19 Dec 2018, Swansea)

Prokaryotes at Colour Peak – An analogue for the Icy Moons (2018)
Macey, Michael C; Stephens, Ben; Fox-Powell, Mark; Cousins, Claire R.; Schwenzer, Susanne P; Pearson, Victoria K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : EANA 2018 (24-28 Sep . 2018, Berlin)

Viable metabolisms in a simulated martian chemical environment (2018)
Macey, Michael C.; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : AbGradE Symposium 2018 (22-24 Sep 2018, Berlin)

Characterisation of novel isolates from an Enceladan analogue (2018)
Macey, Michael C.; Fox-Powell, Mark; Cousins, Claire R.; Pearson, Victoria K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : AbGradE Symposium 2018 (22-24 Sep 2018, Berlin, Germany)

Simulating martian environments for microbial growth experiments (2018)
Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Macey, Michael C.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 12th International Congress of Extremophiles (16-20 Sep 2018, Ischia, Naples)

Prokaryotes at Colour Peak – An analogue for the Icy Moons (2018)
Macey, Michael C.; Stephens, Ben; Fox-Powell, Mark; Cousins, Claire R.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 12th International congress of Extremophiles (16-20 Sep 2018, Ischia, Naples)

Modelling the Rock-Water Interface on Enceladus (2018)
Hamp, Rachael; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Schwenzer, Susanne; Ramkissoon, Nisha and Pearson, Victoria
In : European Planetary Science Congress 2018 (16-21 Sep 2018, Berlin, Germany)

Plastic Microbial Acclimation and Optimisation of Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Processes may Improve Degradation Times (2017-10-02)
Boardman, C. P.; Summers, S. S.; Olsson-Francis, K. and Gladding, T.
In : 16th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium (Sardinia 2017) (2-6 Oct 2017, S. Margherita di Pula, Sardinia, Italy,)

Mars simulated exposure and the characteristic Raman biosignatures of amino acids and halophilic microbes (2017-09-12)
Rolfe, S. M.; Patel, M. R.; Olsson-Francis, K.; Gilmour, I.; Ringrose, T. J. and McGenity, T. J.
In : 7th Astrobiology Society of Britain Conference (13-14 Sep 2017, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK) (pp. 21-22)

The impact of martian brine chemistry on the growth of microorganisms (2017)
Macey, Michael C.; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 1st British Planetary Science Congress (3-5 Dec 2017, Glasgow)

The impact of martian chemistry on the metabolism of methanogenic archaea (2017)
Macey, Michael C.; Ramkissoon, Nisha K.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Pearson, Victoria K. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 7th Astrobiology Society of Britain Conference (13-14 Sep 2017, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK)

The anaerobic community of an estuarine environment: an analogue for life on Mars. (2015-04)
Curtis-Harper, Elliot; Olsson-Francis, Karen; Schwenzer, Susanne and Pearson, Victoria
In : 4th UK in Aurora Programme Meeting (15 May 2015, London)

Containers, sensors and samples to understand desert weathering (2015-03)
Schwenzer, S. P.; Barnes, J. J.; Charlier, B. L.; Grady, M. M.; Hall, C.; Melwani Daswani, M.; Morse, A.; Olsson-Francis, K.; Patel, M.; Pearson, V.; Pillinger, J. M.; Preston, L. J.; Sheridan, S.; Sherlock, S. C.; Steer, E. D.; Summers, S.; Verchovsky, S.; Dove-Jay, A. S.; Jewell, S. and Musilova, M.
In : 46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (16-20 Mar 2015, The Woodlands, TX, USA)

Subsurface Halophiles: An Analogue for Potential Life on Mars (2015)
Woolman, P. F.; Pearson, V. K.; Cockell, C. and Olsson-Francis, K.
In : UK Planetary Forum 12th Early Career Planetary Scientists’ Meeting (19-20 Feb 2015, University of Kent)

Subsurface Halophiles: An Analogue for Potential Life on Mars. (2015)
Woolman, P. F.; Pearson, V. K.; Cockell, C. S. and Olsson-Francis, K.
In : Life on Earth and Beyond: The History and Philosophy of the Origin of Life (4-6 May 2015, Ven Island, Sweden)

The anaerobic community of an estuarine environment: an analogue for life on Mars (2014-10)
Curtis-Harper, E.; Pearson, V.; Schwenzer, S. and Olsson-Francis, K.
In : 14th European Workshop on Astrobiology: Signatures of life: from gases to fossils (EANA14) (13-16 Oct 2014, Edinburgh) (p 94)

The anaerobic community of an estuarine environment: an analogue for life on Mars (2014-01)
Curtis-Harper, E.; Pearson, V. K.; Schwenzer, S. P. and Olsson-Francis, K.
In : 12th Early Career Planetary Scientists’ Meeting (19-20 Feb 2015, University of Kent)

Detecting biomarkers on Mars using Raman spectroscopy (2013-04)
Rolfe, S. M.; Patel, M. R.; Gilmour, I.; Olsson-Francis, K. and Ringrose, T. J.
In : Molecules and Life in Extremes: UK Astrobiology Conference 2013 - (ASB5) (17-19 Apr 2013, Edinburgh, UK)

Raman spectroscopy of biologically relevant amino acids under martian conditions (2012-04)
Rolfe, S. M.; Patel, M.; Gilmour, I.; Olsson-Francis, K.; Ringrose, T. J. and Cockell, C.
In : Astrobiology Science Conference 2012 Exploring Life: Past, Present, Near and Far (16-20 Apr 2012, Atlanta, GA, USA)

Raman spectroscopy of amino acids and other biomarkers on Mars (2011-07)
Rolfe, S. M.; Patel, M. R.; Olsson-Francis, K.; Cockell, C. S. and Ringrose, T. J.
In : 11th European Workshop on Astrobiology (Annual workshop of EANA) (11-14 Jul 2011, Cologne, Germany)

Habitability of the Martian subsurface for methanogenic life (2011-06)
Monaghan, E. P.; Patel, M. R.; Cockell, C. S. and Olsson-Francis, K.
In : Exploring Mars Habitability (13-15 Jun 2011, Lisbon, Portugal)

Simulating microbe-mineral interactions in the subsurface of Mars (2010-09)
Monaghan, Euan P.; Patel, Manish R.; Cockell, Charles S. and Olsson-Francis, Karen
In : 10th European Workshop on Astrobiology EANA 2010 (6-8 Sep 2010, Pushchino, Russia)

Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

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Professor Karen Olsson-Francis

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