As part of this long-standing UNIS course, participants learn how to design and carry out sampling campaigns in remote polar ecosystems. The course began with a week of preparation, in which students were introduced to the logistics and planning required for Arctic fieldwork. During the expedition, participants will also take part in lectures, research and outreach activities, some of which are included in XTREAM's training programme.
The aim is to collect biological samples from Arctic ecosystems, which are then analysed using cutting-edge genomics techniques to explore their potential industrial applications. Last year's course was a success, yielding samples of significant scientific interest, and this year the programme includes new landscapes for the scientific crew to study the life that can thrive in them. These new sites are among the most remote in the world, and the conditions there are extremely harsh: temperatures around -15ºC are expected.
The group has already visited Adventdalen, located near Longyearbyen, the largest settlement in Svalbard. They also stayed at the former mining settlement of Svea, now converted into a research station, where they set up an ice camp to collect ice cores, measure sea thickness, and gather underwater samples. In the following days, participants will traverse pingos — conical hills with an ice core that can reach several tens of metres in height — such as Rypefjellbreen, Røystoppdalen, and Grøndalen. Reaching these sites is not easy and requires considerable logistical effort, but the course aims to give participants first-hand experience of Arctic research.
Another extreme environment that is attracting interest in this scientific field is cryopegs, pockets of salty water trapped within the permafrost that remain liquid despite sub-zero temperatures. “We will focus on enriching microbes that thrive under these conditions”, says Verena Nikeleit, researcher at NORCE. To study these, they will carefully take samples from drilled frozen areas using sterile coring techniques to prevent contamination and then store them at low temperatures. “In the laboratory, we can further study microbial activity, adaptability, and metabolic flexibility in greater detail, helping us deepen and expand our understanding of microbial ecosystems in extreme environments.”
The Arctic Microbiology course at UNIS has been running for several years and plays a key role in training a new generation of scientists specialised in extreme environments. “This is a unique opportunity for researchers from around the world who are passionate about understanding how and why life develops in places where we thought it couldn’t”, declares Lise Øvreås, an expert in polar environments.
Within this context, XTREAM contributes to the course by participating in the expedition and delivering specialised lectures as part of its training programme. XTREAM is a four-year research project funded by the European Union with €5.1 million, focused on studying microbial communities in extreme aquatic environments and exploring their potential for sustainable industrial applications. By engaging in initiatives such as the UNIS Arctic Microbiology course, XTREAM helps advance research in extreme environments while supporting Norway’s position as an international hub for Arctic science.
About XTREAM
The XTREAM consortium brings together 14 partners from eight countries, including research centres, universities, and SMEs specialising in technology. The Norwegian participants are NORCE, UNIS, and the biotech company Syngens. The project focuses on studying microbial communities that thrive in extreme aquatic environments, understanding how they adapt to such harsh conditions, and exploring their potential for sustainable industrial applications in areas such as energy, health, and environmental technologies.
Grant agreement nº 101182278