From Porto to Antarctica: a Portuguese researcher explores microbial life in extreme conditions

Antarctica is more than a frozen frontier. It is a living laboratory where resilient microbial communities thrive. In 2023, Sharath Chandra Thota earned an Erasmus internship at CIIMAR -  Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research of University of Porto, and a PhD scholarship at University of Porto (FCUP) and CIIMAR supported by the AIR Centre. That opportunity has now taken him to King Sejong Station on the Antarctic Peninsula, where he has just completed a month‑long scientific expedition. Sharath Chandra Thota studies how microorganisms survive and move through extreme polar environments. He focuses on the role of atmospheric rivers – narrow corridors of moisture that can transport microbes across long distances. By analysing microbial diversity in one of the most remote regions on Earth, he aims to understand how Antarctica connects biologically and climatically to the rest of the planet. His expedition was supported by the Portuguese Polar Programme, funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), and carried out in collaboration with the Korea Polar Research Institute. The work is part of a long-term effort led by CIIMAR researcher Irina Gorodetskaya, who has been studying atmospheric rivers in Antarctica for more than a decade. This partnership highlights the international cooperation required to study such a challenging environment. Sharath’s fieldwork adds a biological perspective to ongoing research on how these moisture intrusions shape Antarctic conditions. His samples from King Sejong Station will contribute to a growing dataset on microbial communities and their response to changing climate patterns. These findings may help improve scientific models of polar ecosystems and global atmospheric dynamics. [PC, 3 March 2026]