I am Dr. Suprokash Koner, a JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Japan.
My research focuses on understanding the diversity, ecological functions, and molecular mechanisms of microbial communities across diverse natural, extreme, and environmentally stressed ecosystems. I am particularly interested in three fundamental questions: Who are the key microorganisms, how do they function, and how much do they contribute to environmental biogeochemical processes? To address these questions, I integrate environmental genomics, microbial ecophysiology, biogeochemistry, and multi-omics approaches to investigate microbial adaptation, plant–microbe–soil interactions, mineral transformations, pollutant degradation, and carbon cycling.
Currently, as a JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow at Tohoku University, Japan, I investigate microbial-assisted nickel phytomining, focusing on how rhizosphere bacterial communities, their functional potential, and associated metabolites influence nickel mobilization, bioavailability, and plant uptake. My earlier research in Taiwan explored microbial communities across serpentine soils, mud volcanoes, geothermal ecosystems, limestone caves, and contaminated environments, with particular emphasis on microbial adaptation, heavy-metal resistance, mineral–microbe interactions, ferromanganese biomineralization, rare-earth-element distributions, and microbial carbon sequestration.
I see myself as both a researcher and a steward of nature, guided by the principles of “struggle for existence” and “science with honesty”. My long-term vision is to connect fundamental microbial ecology with practical environmental solutions, particularly sustainable resource recovery, emerging-pollutant bioremediation, and climate change mitigation. By integrating advanced multi-omics, quantitative molecular approaches, and emerging single-cell technologies, I aim to understand not only microbial diversity and functional potential but also the measurable contributions of microorganisms to ecosystem processes. I value scientific integrity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and translating scientific ideas into meaningful environmental applications.
Key expertise · Environmental genomics · Ecophysiology & multi-omics · Molecular microbial ecology · Biogeochemistry · Plant–microbe–soil interactions · Bioremediation · Microbial carbon sequestration & climate solutions
Research appointments and academic training across Japan, Taiwan and India.
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Japan · Microbial-enhanced nickel phytomining.
Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan · Rare-earth elements in soil lithosequences and Fe–Mn nodule biomineralization.
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan · Stable-isotope approaches to microbial carbon sequestration.
National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan · Microbial functional traits and abiotic-stress responses in ultramafic outcrops.
GreenC India Consulting Pvt. Ltd., India · Environmental sampling, laboratory quality control, reporting and environmental impact assessment.
IISER Kolkata, India · Arsenic in rice-field soils and water; cyanobacterial isolation and characterization.
University of Kalyani, India · Surface-water treatment and drinking-water quality.
University of Burdwan, India.
Investigating how Yomogi (Artemisia sp.) and its root-associated bacterial communities regulate nickel bioavailability, mobilization and plant uptake in contaminated soils and saprolite mixtures. Integrates plant assays, soil chemistry, DNA/RNA-based 16S profiling, shotgun metagenomics and metabolomics.
Examined microbial processes associated with ferromanganese nodules and metal immobilization. Parallel research addressed rare-earth-element distributions along soil lithosequences; the CV does not list a directly attributable REE paper.
Investigated microbially mediated carbonate formation, subsurface carbon storage potential and associated biogeochemical risks, alongside isotope-based approaches to microbial carbon cycling.
Studied how rhizosphere bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant-associated microbial functions support adaptation to heavy-metal stress and nutrient limitation in serpentine environments.
Explored ultramafic rock weathering, metal enrichment, microbial ecological risk, antibiotic resistance and physiological adaptation across serpentine soil gradients.
Examined pollutant-associated microbial communities, trichloroethylene biodegradation potential, antimicrobial resistance and environmental transmission across soils, livestock settings and bioaerosols.
Characterized microbial community composition and metabolic potential in mud volcanoes, geothermal systems, caves and other mineral-influenced environments.
Applied 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to investigate bacterial community structure, predicted functions and food-safety considerations in fermented fruits.
A focused selection of publications reflecting my research in environmental microbiomes, metal-stressed soils and microbial biogeochemistry. Explore my complete and most current publication record on Google Scholar.
Koner, S., Chen, J.-S., et al.
Read paper ↗Koner, S., Chen, J.-S., et al.
Read paper ↗Asif, A., Koner, S. (equal contribution), et al.
Read paper ↗Asif, A., Koner, S. (equal contribution), et al.
Read paper ↗Auckland, New Zealand
Sapporo, Japan
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India
Taipei, Taiwan
Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan (Standard).
Taiwan enterprise-participation doctoral student cultivation pilot program.
National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan.
National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan.
India.
Associate Editor, Frontiers in Microbiome (Environmental Microbiome section). Peer reviewer for journals including Nature Communications, Microbiome, Journal of Hazardous Materials and Communications Earth & Environment.
Presentations at ISME20, the Japan Society of Environmental Biotechnology meeting, Recycle 2025 and geoscience conferences in Taiwan. Member of ISME and JSEB.
Interested in environmental genomics, microbial biotechnology, mineral–microbe interactions or plant–soil biogeochemistry? I welcome research discussions and potential collaborations.
Suprokash Koner, PhD
JSPS International Research Fellow
Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
Institutional email: koner.suprokash.c8@tohoku.ac.jp
Personal email: suprokashkoner22@gmail.com
Google Scholar ↗