MSc. Florian Carlo Fischer

Contact:
 
M.Sc. Florian Carlo Fischer
Technische Universität Berlin
Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik
RG Astrobiology, Room ER 122, Secr. ER 3-2
Hardenbergstr. 36A,
D-10623 Berlin
 
Mail: florian.fischer@tu-berlin.de
Tel.: +4930 314-79632
 
 
I hold a Master's degree in Biotechnology and I am currently working as a praedoctoral  researcher in the Astrobiology Research Group at TU Berlin. My study focuses on the habitability of past and present-day Mars, with a specific emphasis on brines. These brines could represent the last possibility of water on or near the surface of Mars. To understand the habitability of these potential habitats, laboratory growth experiments involving various concentrations of salts present on Mars (e.g., chlorates and perchlorates) are conducted. Additionally, simulations of the Martian environment using a Mars simulation chamber are employed. My research is part of the Microbial Survival and Viability in Saline Environments on Mars (BRINES) project. 
 
Publications:

F.C. Fischer, D. Schulze-Makuch, and J. Heinz (2024) Microbial preference for chlorate over perchlorate under simulated shallow subsurface Mars-like conditions. Sci Rep 14, 11537, doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-62346-y.

Conference contributions:

Talks: 

Fischer, F. C.*, Heinz, J., and Schulze-Makuch, D. Survival of bacteria and fungi under simulated Mars-like subsurface conditions. 22nd EANA conference 2022, September 2023, Madrid, Spain.

Fischer, F. C.*, Heinz, J., and Schulze-Makuch, D. Influence of (per)chlorate salts and regolith depth on the survival of microorganisms in simulated Mars-like conditions. 7th Annual Workshop of the Deutsche Astrobiologische Gesellschaft e.V. (DAbG), September 2023, Berlin, Germany.

Poster : 

Fischer, F. C., Heinz, J., and Schulze-Makuch, D. Survival of bacteria and fungi under simulated Mars-like subsurface conditions. BEACON conference, May 2023, La Palma, Spain. ➥ Best Poster Award