Celebrating International Recognition and Research Excellence
We are proud to share that Jizheng (Jim) He has been elected to Fellowship in the American Academy of Microbiology, the leadership body within the American Society for Microbiology.
After a rigorous two-round review process and strong support from his nominators, Professor He was selected as one of just 63 Fellows elected this year — a significant mark of distinction recognising excellence, originality, service and leadership in the microbial sciences. An official press release listing the 2026 Fellowship class will be posted on 13 February.
This honour highlights Professor He’s outstanding contributions to environmental microbiology and nitrogen cycling research.
ARC Discovery Projects Driving Environmental Impact
Professor Jizheng He
“Evolution of comammox bacteria and their contribution to soil N2O emissions. Complete ammonia oxidation bacteria (comammox Nitrospira) are newly-discovered nitrifiers under oligotrophic environments. However, they are widely distributed in nitrogen rich agricultural soils. This project aims to understand evolutionary features of comammox Nitrospira from oligotrophic to eutrophic nitrogen environments and their relative contribution to N2O emissions compared to other key nitrification microorganisms in agricultural ecosystems using enrichment culturing and cutting-edge multi-omics and stable isotope approaches. The expected outcomes will include a mechanistic understanding of the contribution of comammox bacteria to nitrogen cycling and providing basis for mitigating N2O emissions from agricultural ecosystems.”
Led by Professor He, this $700,000 ARC Discovery Project advances mechanistic understanding of nitrogen cycling and supports efforts to mitigate agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
Associate Professor Shu Kee Lam; Dr Baobao Pan; Professor Deli Chen; Professor Stefan Reis; Dr Enrico Dammers
“From sugarcane to reef: ammonia emission, deposition and mitigation. The project will advance our understanding of ammonia (NH3) emissions from sugarcane and nitrogen deposition to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) by integrating measurements, remote sensing, machine learning and modelling. It will identify hot spots and timing of NH3 emissions across soils, climates and management practices; analyse spatial and temporal patterns of NH3 deposition; and predict how NH3 deposition responds to emission reduction strategies. Expected outcomes: a high-resolution NH3 emission map, pioneering assessment of NH3 deposition to the Reef lagoon, and regional evaluation of measures to reduce NH3 loss. This will guide sustainable sugarcane management, mitigate NH3 pollution, and protect the GBR’s ecological and economic value.”
This $735,000 ARC Discovery Project will deliver critical insights into ammonia emissions and deposition pathways affecting the Great Barrier Reef, supporting sustainable agricultural practices and environmental protection.
