Rubin-Blum Maxim

Researcher at the Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research Research interests: - Molecular ecology of marine microbes - The phylogenetic and functional diversity in marine animal-microbe symbioses - Microbial degradation of fossil hydrocarbons (gas and oil) - Microbial metabolism, focusing on carbon fixation - Deep-sea ecosystems My ongoing projects include: Microbial indices in marine monitoring: Microbial indices for the monitoring of marine environmental status and implement them in the National Monitoring Program (funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology - Israel, the National Monitoring Program of the Israeli Mediterranean Waters) Deep-Sea gas and brine seeps in the Mediterranean Sea: Discovery of new Hydrocarbon Seeps in the Southeastern Mediterranean Sea (funded by the MERCI). Taxonomic and functional repertoire of microbes in gas and brine seeps offshore Israel (funded by the ISF). The sphere of influence and functionality of brine seeps (funded by the Ministry of Energy, Israel). New mechanisms of carbon fixation in bacteria: Molecular ecophysiology of microorganisms with two carbon fixation pathways funded by the Binational Science Foundation (funded by the BSF). Degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons: Effects of crude-oil and gas-condensate pollution on pelagic food-webs at the Israeli Mediterranean Sea (funded by the Ministry of Energy, Israel). Evaluating the implications of condensate spills and their treatment in the coastal water of the Mediterranean Sea offshore Israel (funded by the the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Israel).