Category: News

We are excited to share that a new paper has just been published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments. Led by Juanita Lara‑Gutiérrez, this work stems from the long‑standing collaboration between the SEP group and Stocker’s Lab. It presents a millifluidic continuous culture protocol enabling bacterial cultivation under low‑nutrient conditions and dynamic nutrient environments. Check out the full article here !

Check out our latest publication in Hydrological Processes! The paper, "Modelling climate change effects on groundwater recharge and temperature for a pre-alpine lysimeter", combines lysimeter observations with modelling to assess how climate change influences groundwater recharge and subsurface temperature in a pre‑alpine region in Switzerland. Check it out here.

We had a great time at InterPore2026 in Nantes, where SEP group contributed an exciting lineup of oral and poster presentations. Joaquin showcased chaotic advection and mixing in unsaturated porous media, powered by 3D pore‑scale simulations and synchrotron micro‑CT imaging. Chiara presented an information‑theory‑based framework to quantify how pore scale dynamics shape bacterial behavior, as part of a new collaboration between SEP and MIPORE groups. Xin highlighted key aspects of his original micromodel equipped with reactive surfaces - a powerful platform for studying reactive transport in real time. Zahra showed how local biofilm mechanics shape colonization patterns under varying flow conditions, a collaboration with Eleonora Secchi at ETH. A fantastic week of science and collaboration! Looking forward to the next InterPore annual gathering.

Check out our latest publication in Hydrogeology Journal! The paper, titled "Hydrogeology: Quo vadis…? A survey on the future of hydrogeology and seven ways forward in the light of global challenges", analyzes data gathered though an international survey to identify current and future challenges for hydrogeology, highlight disciplinary perspectives, and propose seven strategic directions for advancing sustainable groundwater management. Check it out here!

Prof. Jimenez-Martinez was invited to participate in the webinar series organized by the InterPore Academy. His presentation walked through years of pore‑scale research by the SEP group, examining how inert mobile and immobile fluid phases as well as active matter influence mixing, transport, and reaction processes in porous media. The recorded talk, “How Inert Phases And Active Matter Shape Mixing And Reactions In Porous Media", is now accessible here.

New publication in PNAS in collaboration with Stocker Lab! A new continuous‑flow cultivation method that mimics natural environments where bacteria encounter low, rapidly renewed nutrient levels has been developed. Using this system, it has been observed that E. coli switches to absorbing iron via ferrous iron–amino acid complexes when traditional siderophores become too diluted, revealing a previously unknown link between iron uptake and amino acids.

Check out our latest publication in Ocean Modelling! Here, we developed a hydrodynamic model of the Mar Menor lagoon (Spain), integrating groundwater and watershed models. It accurately simulates sea level, currents, salinity, and temperature, and reveals how the 2019 flash flood caused a month-long stratification and reduced water renewal time by 52 days. This work is the result of a fruitful collaboration with Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena. Check it out here!

SEP group attended Shaping the future: ETH Domain Conference 2025, held in the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne on December 8th-9th. Prof. Joaquin Jimenez-Martinez and Andrés Velásquez Parra - postdoc in our group - presented the multidisciplinary project ARTS. The project, focused on the impact of underground thermal energy storage on groundwater quality and fauna, sparked discussions on innovation and collaboration across the ETH Domain.

We had a fantastic time in Houston at the Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics! SEP group presented new insights into bacterial mobility and chemotaxis under flow in porous media. Led by Maximilian Stoll and Joaquin Jimenez-Martinez, in collaboration with Roman Stocker and Marco Dentz, the project sparked engaging discussions and exciting exchanges with the scientific community.

SEP Group actively participated in the European Geothermal Congress 2025 (EGC), held in Zürich from October 6th–10th. Being the largest geothermal event in Europe, the EGC brings together stakeholders from all parts of the energy sector, offering an ideal platform to discuss the latest developments in the market, technology, science, industry, and policy. In this context, Andrés Velásquez Parra- postdoctoral researcher in our group - introduced the project ARTS, a multidisciplinary project led by Eawag in collaboration with Empa, and supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy and the Cantons of Zurich, Geneva, Aarau, Thurgau, and Zug. This project investigates how seasonal underground thermal energy storage might affect groundwater and the subsurface, with emphasis on groundwater quality, microbial dynamics and community composition, as well as groundwater fauna.