Volker Brozel

Title

Professor

Office Building

Alfred Dairy Science Hall

Office

213

Mailing Address

Alfred Dairy Science Hall 213
Biology and Microbiology-Box 2104A
University Station
Brookings, SD 57007

Education

• B.S. in food science | University of Stellenbosch
• M.S. in microbiology | University of Pretoria
• Ph.D. in microbiology | University of Pretoria

Academic Interests

• Bacterial ecophysiology
• Nitrogen fixing bacteria

Academic Responsibilities

• MICR 332 Microbial Physiology
• MICR 332L Microbial Physiology Lab
• BIOL / MICR 448 Molecular Microbial Genetics
• MICR 667 Bacteriology (odd years)
• BIOL 790 S01 Presenting Science
• BIOL 790 S02 Scientific Writing

Committees and Professional Memberships

• American Society for Microbiology
• American Society for Microbiology North Central Branch
• International Society for Microbial Ecology 

Work Experience

• 2013-Present, extraordinary professor, Microbiology at University of Pretoria
• 2011-2020, head of department, South Dakota State University
• 2009-Present, professor, South Dakota State University
• 2007, Krupp Fellow, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Germany
• 2003-2009, associate professor, South Dakota State University
• 2002, visiting professor, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Germany
• 1998-2003, associate professor, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• 1994-1997, senior lecturer, University of the Western Cape, South Africa

Areas of Research

Soil: Where food begins

• Bacteria play a major role in biocatalysis on our planet. We know surprisingly little on how the over one million bacterial and archaeal species behave in their diverse natural environments. My lab focuses on growth and survival of bacteria in soil where many bacteria contribute to mobilization of plant nutrients, and associate with both plant root, and soil particle surfaces, forming multicellular conglomerates called biofilms.
• Nitrogen-fixing bacteria: Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen gas to ammonia can only be performed by select bacteria called nitrogen-fixing bacteria. This is the second most vital process for life on earth after photosynthesis. My lab focuses on ecophysiology and diversity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and their associations with plants.
• Soils lose nitrogen through denitrification, suggesting that nitrogen fixers play a more important role than generally believed. We study the diversity and function of free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria in soils.
• Low nutrient levels in soil select for slow growing bacteria. Yet rapid growing saprophytes such as Bacillus abound in soils. We seek to understand how the aerobic endospore forming soil saprophyte Bacillus cereus is so successful in soil.