Project Grant 2546537

The National Science Foundation Division of Environmental Biology awarded The Research Foundation For The State University Of New York, operating as Stony Brook University, $331,757 on September 1, 2026, for collaborative research on trait-based prediction of microbial successional dynamics in thawing permafrost soils under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074).

The project develops artificial intelligence and machine-learning tools to analyze microbial DNA sequences combined with long-read DNA sequencing technology, creating mathematical models that predict how entire microbial communities respond and evolve during permafrost thaw. Permafrost soils store approximately 50 percent of global soil carbon; as frozen soils thaw, dormant microorganisms activate and consume organic carbon, releasing inorganic forms such as carbon dioxide. Existing DNA sequencing methods provide only single-timepoint snapshots of microbial activity. The new predictive models will enable dynamic forecasting of microbial community succession over time during thaw events, advancing understanding of how these microbial processes reshape carbon dynamics globally.

The project also integrates educational and public engagement activities in New York City, including partnership with local undergraduate faculty and students to implement bioinformatics curricula and provide summer undergraduate research experiences, and collaboration with a local community biology laboratory to develop a transdisciplinary outreach program using visual arts to increase public understanding of soil microbiology.

Performance occurs in Stony Brook, New York. The award period runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2029.