Dr Rich Boden

Present Interests

My current research programme spans physiology, ecology, biochemistry, taxonomy and environmental process, including soil and freshwater geochemistry. My main thrusts of work concern the microbial transformations of metals, metalloids and sulfur in a range of environments. 

Active research projects can be split into pure and applied aspects though other smaller projects are on-going. My past interests in "one carbon" or "C1" metabolism and that of methylated sulfur compounds has largely come to a natural close now and my interests instead focus primarily on inorganic ions found in the environment and the minerals from which they derive.

Pure Research - Blue Skies

My central, core research interests concern physiology, biochemistry, taxonomy and systematics of the sulfur Bacteria. Around this area, I am also interested in the associated analytical chemistry (both of biochemicals and of inorganic species), thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, enzyme classification and so on.

My current programme of research is broken into the following broad projects:

Inorganic sulfur metabolism in members of the Bacteria

(Current Personnel: Dr Rich Boden (PI),

Funding: University of Plymouth 2012 - 2015, Royal Society: 2013-2014

Collaborators: Dr Kathleen M Scott, University of South Florida

The microbial oxidation of inorganic sulfur from dissolved ions or insoluble minerals forms a key step in the biogeochemical sulfur cycle, transforming complex polysulfur compounds (polythionates, polysulfanes) into sulfate, which can be used by the Eukarya as a source of sulfur for growth. Our research in this area concerns the underpinning physiology of the Kelly-Trudinger (or "S4I") pathway of inorganic sulfur metabolism in members of the Class Acidithiobacillia, namely the genera Acidithiobacillus and Thermithiobacillus and members of the Betaproteobacteria including Thiobacillus and Annwoodia. We also have interest in the partial Kelly-Trudinger pathway found in chemolithoheterotrophs such as "Thiobacillus trautweinii" (various Pseudomonas and Achromobacter strains).

Former personnel: Dr Lee P Hutt (PhD Student and Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2012-2015), Mr Jack Cowling (Research Assistant/Intern, 2013-2014). 

(Current Personnel: Dr Mick Hanley (PI), Dr Rich Boden (CoI))

Fixation of nitrogen into ammonium by diazotrophic Bacteria is key to growth of plants in the environment. Our research focusses on the impact of rising sea-levels and increasing inundation of coastal farmlands by seawater during storm surge events. In a bottom-up programme of research, we are assessing the impact of storm surge events on whole ecosystems starting with changes in soil geochemistry and its impact on diazotrophic populations and their subsequent impacts on plant biochemistry and thus ecosystem dynamics.

(Current Personnel: Dr Mick Hanley (PI), Dr Rich Boden (CoI), Professor Camille Parmesan (CoI); Funding: Seale-Hayne Educational Trust 2013 - 2015, University of Plymouth, 2014-2018)

The environmental impact of cultivation of bioenergy crops such as Miscanthus spp. on UK soils is being assessed through investigation of soil microbial ecology with respect to the sulfur and nitrogen cycles and the underpinning soil geochemistry and metal distributions that are key to the biological activities of microbes, invertebrates and plants.

Former personnel: Dr Liz Franklin (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2013); Dr Nicholas Berkley (Ph.D Student, 2014-2018).

Applied Research - Biotechnology and Bioremediation

I have side-interests in the application of microbial communities in mining and metal-related biotechnologies, that ultimately stem from my interests in physiology.

(Personnel: Dr Rich Boden (PI), Dr Richard Billington (CoI), Dr John Moody (CoI), Mr Hassan Alhammod Alhilli (Visiting PhD Student); Funding: Iraqi Government (Jan 2013 - July 2013).

Organophosphates are commonly used in a variety of agricultural settings and, as such, present a considerable environmental hazard when they are washed off of agricultural land into water courses, where they have ecotoxicological effects on microorganisms, algae and fish. To rapidly monitor organophosphate levels in a range of aquatic settings, we have developed a proven-in-principle diagnostic, quantitative method based on a highly stable microbial alkaline phosphatase that converts organophosphates into phosphate, which is detected with the malachite green-molybdate method widely used for cost-effective, accurate determination of phosphate. We have developed a highly stable, easy to use immobilised preparation of stable alkaline phosphatases that tolerate extremes of heat, light, UV, dessication and cold, enabling a variety of long-term and short-term storage options for both pre-use storage and between-use storage, since the enzyme preparation can be rapidly removed manually after use, washed and stored for re-use. This project has built upon research undertaken by Mr Alhammod Alhilli in Basra and has developed a stable enzyme preparation from Bacillus sp. FH4, which has shown extreme in vitro stability at room temperature, rendering it highly suited to biosensor development. Future work will continue development with the enzyme preparation to develop "dipstick" test methods and a re-usable probe biosensor for industrial use.

Innovate UK Development of biotechnologies for the removal of metals from treated landfill liquor. Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) (c. £185,000). Mar 2017 - Present. Industrial Partner: Phoenix Engineering Ltd.

Innovate UK Optimising biogas production using novel technologies. Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) (c. £175,000). Feb 2016 - Jan 2017. Industrial Partner: New Generation Biogas Ltd (entered administration, Jan 2017).