Xavier Alexis Walter

Research Associate
Department of Bristol Robotic Laboratory
University of the West of England
Department of CEMS and Applied Sciences
University of the West of England
Bristol Robotic Laboratory (BRL)T Building
Frenchay Campus
Bristol
BS16 1QY

Specialist Research Area
Microbiology, Self-sustainable systems, Phototrophic Microbial Fuel Cells,

Dr. Xavier Alexis Walter graduated from the University of Neuchýtel (UNINE, Switzerland) in Biology (2004). In 2006, he completed a Master's degree in Biogeosciences at Neuchýtel's Laboratory of Microbiology. The research focused on an interdisciplinary approach investigating the interactions of living microbes with the geosphere. His study looked at the distribution, diversity and characterization of freshwater microbial mats in an Alpine wetland (Val Piora, Switzerland). This work linked the mats distribution to the geochemical conditions of Cadagno's marsh. Moreover, four distinctive types of "microbial mat ecosystemý structures were described. He continued at Neuchýtel, with a PhD (2011), where he addressed the iron-cycle in mero- and holo-mictic lakes to establish this type of ecosystem as modern analogue for an ancient Neoarchean Ocean. This study allowed him to identify all the different metabolisms involved in the iron-cycle. Based on their metabolic traits, he could understand their influence on Early Earth geochemistry (Archean eon) and how they structured the studied ecosystem. His interests are the study of organisms relationships in stratified systems in order to understand how to recreate controlled systems that could be used to our advantage. He therefore joined the Bristol Robotic Laboratory to continue the development of artificial ecosystems generating electricity: microbial fuel cells. His tasks will be to incorporate phototrophic guilds within those existing microbial fuel cells.